SAN DIEGO, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The fourth annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic went down to the wire today as the West squad held on for a narrow 9-8 victory over the East team at San Diego State University's Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Aflac Classic is the nation's top high school baseball game, featuring the best 38 players in the country entering their senior year. The sellout crowd of 2,653 saw the West squad win the elite event for the third straight year.
The West squad was led by Christian Colon, Canyon High School (Anaheim Hills, Calif.), who tallied two singles, three stolen bases and three runs scored (tying an Aflac Classic Record) to help lead the West to victory. His performance earned him Most Valuable Player honors.
"It's just an amazing feeling," Colon said. "To have the opportunity to play with the top 38 guys in the nation at the Aflac Classic and to be recognized on national TV like this, it's just amazing."
Fellow West squad teammate Josh Vitters, Cypress High School (Anaheim, Calif.), also belted three doubles, notched three RBIs and scored two runs.
The East team, coached by Kevin Maris, son of baseball legend Roger Maris, was led by Jason Heyward, Henry County High School (McDonough, Ga.) who compiled two hits, two RBI, two runs scored and set a new Aflac Classic record with four stolen bases.
The complete Aflac All-American Baseball Classic box score is available at http://www.aflacallamerican.com/.
Prior to the game, Cameron Rupp of Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, Texas) thrilled fans as he belted seven home runs to win the Aflac All-American Home Run Derby. The previous record was six home runs.
The 2006 Aflac All-American Baseball Classic raised $130,000 for San Diego's Rady Children's Hospital and Health Center and $15,000 for Coaches Curing Kids Cancer, the game's official charity partners, as part of Aflac's ongoing commitment to support research and treatment of pediatric cancer.
Friday evening at the Aflac All-American Awards dinner, Michael Burgess of Hillsborough High School, (Tampa, Fla.) won the third annual Jackie Robinson Award as the Aflac National High School Player of the Year. Burgess was presented with the award by Rachel Robinson, the widow of the late Hall of Fame Baseball Player Jackie Robinson.
Participants in the Aflac Classic are selected by Baseball America and prep scouting organization Perfect Game USA.
About Aflac
For more than 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Aflac's insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for six consecutive years and Forbes magazine's Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies for five consecutive years. In January 2006, Aflac was included in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the eighth consecutive year. Aflac was also included in Fortune magazine's list of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities in August 2005, and in September 2005, Aflac Japan was named the Life Insurance Company of the Year at the Asia Insurance Industry Awards, sponsored by the Asia Insurance Review. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit http://www.aflac.com/.
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