By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Jonesboro Ricemen have no less than a dozen pitchers available at any given time on the baseball field.
Wednesday night, against Forrest City, the Ricemen used half of their staff to take a 17-2 win in seven innings of the scheduled nine inning AAA American Legion game at the Sports Complex.
They probably didn't need to use all six -- starter Clif Baxter was on cruise control through the first two innings and left with a 5-1 cushion.
The next five Jonesboro pitchers -- Tyler Goodwin, Jeff McKnight, Matt Byrd, Isaac Dillon and Cody Fry -- pitched one inning apiece and combined held Forrest City to just one run on two hits and one walks while striking out nine.
Jonesboro's ace, John Findley, manned third base during the game and didn't throw a pitch.
Forrest City, missing five of its mainstay starters -- Danny Flowers, Dustin Gore, Adam Roberts, Jesse Whittemore and Sean Northcutt -- scored their two runs on five hits and one walk. Forrest City sent 28 batters to the plate and head coach Darrell Gaskin watched 14 of them called out on strikes -- 10 swinging and four on called third strikes.
Chris Autry and Isaac Davis each scored runs for Forrest City.
Forrest City starting pitcher Devin McLaurin went four innings before giving way to Colby McKennon who finished up.
After a scoreless first inning by both teams, Jonesboro plated five runs in the top of the second, using five hits, one walk and a hit batter -- one of five hit batters for the game.
Autry put Forrest City on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second when he doubled to left with one out.
McKennon reached base with a bloop single before Justin McKissick's RBI single scored Autry.
Gaines was safe at first to load the bases with two outs when Findley missed the tag on McKissick going to third and failed to get Gaines at first on a late throw. Logan Knight went down on strikes to end the threat.
Jonesboro added three runs in the top of the third to lead 8-1 and plated a single run in the fourth to make it 9-1.
Two runs in the fifth gave Jonesboro an 11-1 lead before Davis singled, stole second, moved to third and scored on a wild pitch with Clyde Kennedy at the plate in the bottom half of the inning.
Kennedy's single was the final Forrest City hit as Jonesboro pitching retired the next seven Forrest City batters.
Forrest City has one regular season game remaining before starting play in the Zone 2 AAA District Tournament in Mountain Home.
The team will play Mountain Home on Monday, July 22, at the Sports Complex beginning at 5 p.m. The game is a scheduled nine-inning matchup.
Saturday's rematch against Jonesboro at Jonesboro has been cancelled.
The East Arkansas Bandits lost twice Wednesday at the USSSA 10-Year-Old World Series being played at Southaven, Miss.
The Bandits were playing from the championship double-elimination round of the tournament, after finishing pool play with a 2-1 record.
The Bandits were shut out 12-0 by the Ola Mudcats from McDonough, Ga. and then were eliminated from the tournament by Oklahoma City Indians who took an 8-6 win over the Bandits.
Athletic physicals for all students who wish to participate in all sports or cheerleading at Palestine-Wheatley Junior and Senior High during the 2002-03 school year will be given Saturday, July 20, at 8 a.m. at the high school music room.
The physicals are free of charge if taken on Saturday.
Seccer Cole Jr. and Britney White, of Forrest City, finished first in doubles competition at the 2002 Arkansas Adult NTRP Closed Champs Men's consolation matches played at the Rebsamen Tennis Center and Otter Creek Racquet Club in Little Rock.
Cole and White, both former Forrest City Mustangs, participated in the men's singles matches and both won their first-round matches.
Cole is attending the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff on a tennis scholarship while White is attending EACC on an academic scholarship.
* CITY LEAGUES
ADULT SOFTBALL
Thursday, July 18
TSM Computers vs Food Giant, 7 p.m. F3
Miller Ins. vs M&T Paving, 7 p.m. F4
Young Guns vs Boar's Head, 8 p.m. F3
Barnes Timber vs Gym 2000, 8 p.m. F4
Greg's vs Morgan, 9 p.m. F3
Bulldogs vs Kerby's, 9 p.m. F4
Men's District Tournament at Forrest City Sports Complex
Friday, July 19
Conoco vs M&T Paving, 7 p.m. F1
Greg's vs Ball Hogs, 7 p.m. F3
Marion Performance vs Mac's, 7 p.m. F4
Kerby's vs Chevron, 8 p.m. F1
Sanyo vs NORAC, 8 p.m. F3
Bulldogs vs Mid South Rail, 8 p.m. F4
Slobberknockers vs The Club, 9 p.m. F1
Women's District Tournament at Forrest City Sports Complex
Friday, July 19
Odd Sox vs Cisco's Best, 7 p.m. F2
Isle of Capri vs Mohr Sports, 8 p.m. F2
The Wave vs Chism, 9 p.m. F2
Bud Light vs Clark Appraisal, 10 p.m. F2