CENTER TWP — The weather has been hot. Center Township's 9-year-old all-star baseball team has been hotter.

The 11-player squad recently ended its tournament run with 21 wins in 22 games, including a 20-game winning streak and six tournament championships in as many tries.

Center Township won the five-team Saxonburg tournament, the six-team Center Township event, the four-team Karns City tournament, the 11-team Evans City tournament, the eight-team Butler City tournament and the five-team Butler Township tournament before calling it a season.

Its lone loss was a 13-12 decision to Meridian in the fourth of five games Center Township played last weekend.

"No excuses, Meridian played a good game and beat us,"Center Township manager Mike Campbell said. "But teams were out there playing a lot of baseball in 90-degree weather ... We were due."

Campbell has seen this type of success from Center Township's 9-year-old team before. His middle son, Kyle, was on the 2004 9-year-old squad he coached to a 19-1 record.

Campbell's youngest son, Alex, was a second baseman, catcher and pitcher on this year's team.

"Pitching is the key when you get into these tournaments because you need plenty of it,"Campbell said. "You can't cut it having just two kids who can throw because they're going to wear out.

"Seven of our 11 guys can pitch. We limited each pitcher to 40 pitches each outing before we replaced him. That keeps everybody fresh and gives everyone a chance."

During the 20-game win streak, Center Township won four games during its final at-bat. Included among them is Max Bachman's three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to nip East Butler in Center Township's own tournament.

Catcher-pitcher Bachman hit five home runs over the fence in the 22 games as the team's No. 4 hitter. No. 5 hitter Nick Delano, a first baseman-pitcher, hit four homers over the fence.

Other players on the squad include center fielder-second baseman Tyler Luchkiw, shortstop-pitcher Christopher Fiorina, third baseman-pitcher-outfielder Dominick DeAngelo, pitcher-first baseman-second baseman Patrick Byrd, center fielder-second baseman Ben Richards, outfielder-third baseman Adam Voelker, outfielder-third baseman-pitcher Jamison Smith and outfielder-pitcher Wyatt Daugherty.

Campbell has been coaching Center Township baseball for 10 years, since his 16-year-old son began playing.

Mike Fiorina was his first base coach this year while Brian Richards was the scorekeeper. Richards coached the team last season.

"I knew we had a good group of kids entering the tournament season, but you don't expect something like this,"Campbell said of the 20-game winning streak.