Newton Citizen

ATLANTA -- Last weekend against Rutgers, Buck Farmer allowed his first walk of the season. But, everything else went just fine for the Conyers native. The former Rockdale hurler continued his strong start to the 2013 season, firing six innings of seven-hit ball in Georgia Tech's 13-1 victory.

Farmer also allowed his first run of the season, though it was unearned, and struck out nine in the win.

Now comes the senior right-hander's first road start of the season when Tech faces Virginia Tech in Blacksburg in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Tech (12-1), which has won seven consecutive games, is the defending conference champions and tonight's game begins a stretch of six consecutive games against league foes. The Yellow Jackets host Boston College in the conference home opener next Friday.

Farmer (2-0) has been dazzling in his second season as Tech's Friday starter. In three starts, the 6-4, 223-pounder is 2-0 with 30 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. He's allowed just 15 hits, 14 of which are singles, and no earned runs, while opponents have hit just .197 against him.

Thompson leading Gulf Coast

MACON -- Bernard Thompson continues to be a major reason why Florida Gulf Coast is again in position to secure the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.

The sophomore guard scored 18 points to help the No. 2 seed Eagles to a 73-63 win over No. 7 North Florida in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament Wednesday.

Thompson, a former Rockdale stand out, was named the conference's defensive player of the year (he was ranked No. 6 nationally in steals per game with 2.84 coming into the conference tournament), then almost single-handedly let Gulf Coast pull away from its quarterfinal opponent. North Florida was within 54-50 with just under nine minutes to play, but Thompson took over, scoring the Eagles' next 14 points, which stretched the lead to 68-56 with two minutes left.

Gulf Coast (22-10), which lost in the tournament title game a year ago, will play No. 3 seed Stetson in tonight's semifinals at 8 p.m. inside Mercer University's Hawkins Arena.

Butts receives honor

Jackson, Miss. -- Former Alcovy basketball player Jordan Butts, now a senior at Belhaven University, was recently named an all-Southern States Athletic Conference selection.

Butts, a 6-2 guard, started all 30 games and led the Blazers in scoring, averaging 16.5 points, and steals (40) while handing the second-most assists (averaged 2.9).

Dawkins playing well

EAST POINT -- Kevin Dawkins seems to be enjoying his time at Point University. The Rockdale graduate and junior at the East Point school, was hitting .306 (15-of-49) coming into Point's doubleheader Wednesday against Faulkner University.

Dawkins, an infielder, leads the NAIA school in doubles with six, is tied for the team-lead in RBIs with 13 and has a .382 on-base percentage in 16 games.