NSW suffered its first loss of the Australian Country Cricket Championships early Friday but bounced back to keep its hopes of a maiden national title alive.
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The Bush Breakers, after consecutive wins the day prior, lost to Queensland first-up on Friday Oval but beat ACT later in the day.
In the earlier game, NSW managed only 9-86 from 20 overs, falling 35 runs short of Queensland (9-121).
As disappointing as the result was, a hat-trick for captain Kira Churchland was one of the highlights of the tournament up to this point.
Orange's Churchland, also the Western Zone captain, came into the attack late to help finish the innings.
She certainly did her job and took wickets on each of the final three balls of the innings to achieve the personal milestone.
The first wicket came via a brilliant, diving caught and bowled to remove Meghan McCartney (2) and then Jamie-Lee Strang chopped on first ball.
Then, on the final ball of the innings, Grace Abdy was bowled to spark the Bush Breakers' celebrations.
Churchland finished with 3/21 from her four overs while Dubbo's Aimee Longhurst - the other Western player in the Bush Breakers side - claimed her first wicket of the tournament.
The 18-year-old quick took 1/22 from three overs.
While Queensland were kept to 8/121, NSW failed to make inroads at the crease.
Only Churchland (21) at second-drop and openers Jodie Hicks (16) and Jo Kelly (14) managed to reach double-figures.
Against the ACT, Hicks top-scored with 30 with support from Churchland (22) to help NSW to 4-80 off a game-restricted 12 overs.
In response, ACT could only manage 5-56. Abbey Taylor took 3-9 from two overs in a match-best spell.
The undefeated Queensland entered the weekend on top of the ladder, one win ahead of NSW.
Twenty20 matches resume on Sunday, with the Bush Breakers playing bottom two South Australia and then Western Australia while Queensland meets third-placed Victoria and then ACT.
