KINGSPORT – If there were a definition of the mercy rule it would be defined by the 15-hit, 19-run barrage the Cloudland Lady Highlanders unleashed on Hampton on Monday in the District 1-A softball playoff opener at Sullivan North High School.

Cloudland took the opener by a 19-0 tally in four innings with Kenzie Birchfield and Kara Fields combining on a perfect game. Birchfield went three innings striking out three and Fields pitched the fourth striking out one.

The Lady ‘Landers up and down their lineup possesses incredible speed and they used it to great advantage in this contest beating out several slow rollers and tappers for base hits and forcing the Lady Bulldogs to rush throws into costly errors.

“We have team speed and it’s been one of our strengths all year,” Lady ‘Landers head coach Matt Birchfield said. “We got speed at every position and we can run the bases. A lot of kids got hits tonight and to hit the ball that well to start the tournament is great.”

Leah Birchfield finished 3-for-3 with two doubles, one run batted in and three runs scored while Jasmine Birchfield was 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.

Others with multiple hits for Cloudland included pitcher Kenzie Birchfield who finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI, catcher Kalen Fields who finished 2-for-3 with a pair of ribbies and runs scored, and Kara Fields who was also 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three runs batted in.

Cloudland (19-12 overall) tallied a run in the last of the first on a Jasmine Birchfield triple and an RBI single from Kalen Fields. The ‘Landers exploded for 11 second-inning runs on seven hits and a pair of throwing errors by the Lady ‘Dogs.

In the stanza, right fielder Gracie Cook and designated player Taylor Hicks each had two RBI triples and first baseman Kara Fields had an RBI double. Kenzie Birchfield had a run batted in on an infield single as well as Cloudland now led 12-0.

The Lady Bulldogs (2-14) did not register a hit against Birchfield or Kara Fields who pitched a scoreless fourth frame. Fields threw just eight pitches to get through the final frame as the young lefty showed an ability to throw hard.

Cloudland scored seven more runs in the third frame with Mandy Benfield collecting a two-run double and Kara Fields added a two-run single.

“You have to play every game one at a time,” head coach Birchfield said. “We have a righty/lefty combination and that’s nice to have.

“Kara throws hard and she pitched well tonight. Kenzie struggled a little bit throwing a lot of pitches in the first but she came back and righted herself.”

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District 1-A softball

Sullivan North High School

Cloudland 19-0 (4 innings)

Hampton   0     0  0 0 –   0   0  4

Cloudland  1  (11) 7 x – 19 15 0

W – K. Birchfield L – Andrews