CENTER TWP — The home run returned to the Butler County Home Run Derby Monday night at Center Township Elementary's Moose Field.

Brandon Wright of East Butler belted 38 homers in the contest — including 16 in the final round — to take home both trophies from the event.

The competition featured 21 of the most prolific 11 and 12-year-old power hitters in the county.

"When I got a call asking me to do it, I was kind of excited because I've been hitting the ball pretty hard this year," Wright said.

Wright's 38 homers were the most hit by one player in this event since Bobby Swartwout belted 50 in the first Butler County Home Run Derby five years ago.

"It was his (Swartwout's) idea to do this," Derby director Jay Fennell said. "He thought it'd be fun. Every year since, I've gotten calls from people encouraging us to continue."

Each hitter is given 10 outs each round. An out is any swing of the bat that does not result in a home run over the fence.

Seven players hit five or more homers during the first round — Kaden Rock of Butler Township, John Chamberlain and Devin Fitz of Center Township, Christian Evanchek of Saxonburg, Wright, Jackson Kerchis of Slippery Rock and Lane Palmer of Zelienople — to advance to the second round.

Rock was the only 11-year-old to reach the second round. No 11-year-old has ever won the Derby.

Wright, Kerchis and Palmer had more than 20 homers each through two rounds and competed in the finals. Wright hit 13 homers in the second round.

"I felt more comfortable the longer I was standing in there," he said. "I didn't get tired at all."

Kerchis hammered 16 homers in the first round — seven more than Wright — but managed only three in the championship round. He was the last batter of the final round.

Kerchis said he was not intimidated by Wright's 16-homer final round.

"Once I got in the batter's box, I wasn't even thinking about it," he said. "I guess I got a little tired toward the end. My swing didn't feel the same."

Kerchis wound up with 29 total homers for the night. Palmer finished second overall with 32, including 15 in the middle round.

Palmer was the first batter in last year's Derby and failed to hit a homer during that competition.

"Yeah, that was different," he admitted. "I was really nervous going first.

"My batting instructor (Fennell) was the biggest difference in me this year. He made sime changes in my stance. I use the same stance as (St. Louis Cardinals slugger) Albert Pujols now."

Palmer hit 11 homers in the final round. Wright needed 11 homers to pass him.

"When I got here and saw how big some of the kids were, I didn't think I'd have a chance," Wright said. "Some of the others hit the ball farther than I did, but I felt like I was hitting most of the pitches hard."

Other participants in the Derby were 11-year-old's Alex Stobert of Saxonburg, Dallas Hays of Butler and Michael DiMartino of Center Township, 12-year-olds David Lennon, Donovan Thompson and Tyler Kline of Center Township, Dominic Callihan of UAA, Jonathan Fair of Butler Township, Kobie Rankin and Drake Zappa of Evans City, Cain Kaltenburg of Slippery Rock, Hunter Scott of East Butler, Jake and Josh McBride of Marion Township, Brendon Stamm of Moniteau.

Notes: The 21 players combined to hit 238 homers during regular season and tournament play this season. Palmer hiot 23, Josh McBride 22. ... There were 151 home runs hit during the Derby.