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All American Game  | Story  | 8/9/2008

2008 Aflac All American Game Notes - Game Day

Los Angeles, CA. Dodger Stadium
Aug 9

Game Day: Aflac All American Game

East Wins Again

The East team once again came back, this time at Dodger Stadium, in the final inning to grab a 4-2 win in the sixth annual Aflac All American Game. The game was very similar to last year’s come back win by the East when Tim Beckham (future #1 overall draft pick) drove in the winning runs in the 9th inning in San Diego. This year the West team pitching dominated the game through 8 innings and entered the ninth with what seemed like a safe 2-0 lead. The East had managed only one hit in the first 8 innings, a single by Brian Goodwin (NC).

Tough lefty Slade Heathcott (TX) had driven in the first run of the game with a line drive single in the first and then came in to pitch the ninth for the save and possible MVP award. After all, Heathcott would have recorded the game winning hit as well as the save. However, this is baseball and baseball is a funny game!

After one out the East got two consecutive infield hits. Then after a walk and a wild pitch the East scored their first run. Later in the inning, with two outs, Goodwin came to the plate with the bases loaded and singled between 3B and SS driving in the tying and lead runs. Then later, Keyvius Sampson scored on an errant pickoff giving the East a four run ninth inning outburst.

Hard throwing RHP/C Austin Maddox pitched 1.1 innings and nailed down the East victory, featuring a mid 90s fastball, in the bottom of the ninth. Maddox got the win after coming into the game with two outs in the eighth inning.

This was a game that featured many outstanding pitching performances by some of the very best pitching prospects in the 2009 class. Most every pitcher was low to mid 90s, but also showed good off speed pitches and command. This was not a case of a bunch of guys just throwing to the gun. The Fox Gun got, Jackie Robinson Award winner, Michael Givens at 98 mph on one of the two pitches he threw in the game. That was the highest velocity, but Matt Purke, Tyler Matzek, Jacob Turner and all the other top pitchers did not disappoint any of the hundreds of scouts in Dodger Stadium.

MVP

Brian Goodwin with two hits and two RBI including the game winner in the ninth was named the MVP of the 2008 Aflac Game.

Home Run Derby

Dodger Stadium is not your ideal High School Wood Bat Home Run Contest venue. It is a very big park, as Manny Ramirez himself mentioned last week. We were a bit concerned that we might see 1 home run win the contest, especially after a local Fox rep mentioned he had never seen a high school kid hit one out of Dodger Stadium. He said, “High School kids aint going to come close to hitting one out!” Then again, we were fairly sure that he hadn’t seen high school players like this.

Matt Davidson hit first and hit the second pitch out of the park, ending the, nobody will hit one out concerns. He went on to hit three to win this year’s Home Run Derby. All five of the finalists hit home runs. LHP Tyler Matzek showed a great swing and hit two out. PG National HR Champ Jonathan Singleton hit a monster shot with his first swing, but couldn’t find the groove after that. Richie Shaffer hit two out, one landing half way up into the seats in left center field. Everett Williams pulled a couple down the right field line and out of Dodger Stadium, and then hit the top of the fence with one that would have forced a playoff.

Davidson also hit the most HRs in the first round with six.

We will have a complete event and individual player reports coming soon.
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