Published: July 11, 2007 11:56 am      

Perfect performance

Ashland — Ashland National’s Logan Salow knew how well Morehead’s 11-12 All-Star team had hit the ball coming into Tuesday’s matchup.

However, the way Salow threw on Tuesday evening, even Morehead State might have had trouble hitting the young left-hander.

It took Salow just 81 pitches to complete a perfect game while adding a home run as an exclamation point in Ashland National’s 8-0 win in the District 6 11-12 All-Star championship.

“I just wanted to go out there and pitch my best,” Salow said. “I was confident that my team was going to back us up in the field.”

Even though Salow had confidence in his team’s fielding ability, he gave them a night off. Salow struck out 15 of 18 batters, including 13 of the final 14 while getting two more to tap back to the mound.

“I started out not having a great curve ball, but I guess it still worked out today,” Salow said. “We knew coming in that Morehead’s pitcher (Brett McKinney) hits his spots, so me and (catcher) Chris (Brewer) worked a lot on hitting mine.”

Ashland National coach Charles Parks has been around the game for a long time, but he said Tuesday’s performance was a first for him.

“That’s the first perfect game in Little League All-Stars that I ever remember seeing and I’ve been around a long time,” Parks said. “All the credit goes to the pitcher today. Nobody had to do anything after we got a run. He did a great job.”

Salow got all the run support he needed in the first inning, courtesy of Austin Rowe’s grand slam that gave Ashland National a 4-0 cushion.

McKinney retired the first two batters of the game before walking three straight batters to load the bases prior to Rowe’s 240-foot home run into the left field parking lot.

“I’ve never done anything like that, so it was pretty fun,” Rowe said. “My teammates were high-fiving me and laughing.”

Rowe also pitches for the team and said that it makes it a lot easier to have a lead when you go out on the mound.

The game featured only six hits — all from Ashland National — with three being out of the park.

In addition to Rowe’s first-inning blast, Chris Brewer led off the fourth inning with a blast over the right field wall while Salow led off the fifth with a shot to dead center.

After the game, the team was all smiles as they took time out from pictures and congratulatory hugs from the parents to try to douse their coach with ice water.

Parks caught the team at the last second and avoided the splashdown, but he said it is that fun-loving attitude that makes the team succeed.

In its third-straight trip to the state tournament, Parks said this team might have an edge over the previous two.

“This team is more relaxed if you notice them,” Parks said. “Even when they are taking defensive drills, they aren’t serious.”

While his team was busy celebrating, Parks had one player that was taking everything in stride — Salow. That’s because his mind was already elsewhere.

“It’s going to be challenging because the teams are great,” Salow said of the state tournament. “It is a great experience, but it won’t be like this. There aren’t going to be any no-hitters or easy outs. It is going to be hard baseball.”

Ashland National’s quest for a state championship will start on July 23 in Bowling Green.

ASHLAND NATIONAL 400 130 — 8 6 0

MOREHEAD 000 000 — 0 0 1

Salow and Brewer. McKinney, Collett (5) and Jarnigan. WP — Salow. LP — McKinney. 3B — Henry (AN), Adkins (AN). HR — Rowe (AN), Brewer (AN), Salow (AN).

GRANT TRAYLOR can be reached at gtraylor@

dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2646..