CENTERTWP — Derek Grence let David Tompkins into the finals of the second annual Butler County Little LeagueHome Run Derby Monday night.

Then he knocked him out of it.

Grence, from the Zelienople-Harmony league, homered on seven consecutive swings with just two outs remaining during the final round — much of which took place in driving rain — to win the contest held on Center Township's Little League diamond.

"Ididn't think I was going to make it," Grence said, shaking his head after the late display of power.

A batter's turn at the plate ended when he reached 10 outs. An out was any swing not resulting in a home run.

Nineteen participants began the derby, with six hitting three or more home runs during the first round to advance.

Tompkins, a member of Butler Township's 11-and-12-year-old state championship team, hit the minimum of three homers during the first round. He hammered eight during the second round to reach 11.

When Center Township's Aaron Voelker finished the second round with 12 total homers and Grence reached 11 with five outs remaining, it appeared Tompkins would not advance to the finals.

But Grence failed to homer again in the round, enabling Tompkins to join Grence and Voelker in the final round.

"I figured I was done,"Tompkins said. "I'm fired up for this, too. I want to win it so bad."

It appeared he was going to do exactly that. Heavy rains soaked the field during the second round and officials worked on drying the batter's box and pitching area before the final round.

"The rain didn't bother me,"Tompkins said. "I just blocked it out. ... I actually hit more home runs in the second round when the rain was coming down harder."

Tompkins stepped to the plate first in the finals. He hit only one homer through his first seven outs, then pounded five in a row. He hit eight total homers in the championship round.

Grence, who hit 10 homers in the first round of the Derby here last year, only to hit none in the second round, admitted the weather affected him. He hit second in Monday's finals.

"Yeah, it was bothering me, especially since I wear batting gloves,"Grence said. "I could feel the bat slipping out of my hand."

One wouldn't know it by watching him hit.

Through eight outs, Grence hit four homers. He then belted seven over the fence — a couple traveling more than 300 feet — before recording his ninth out. He hit 11 homers in the final round.

Voelker hit seven homers in as many swings during the first round Monday. By the time he got to the plate in the final round, the rain was coming down harder than ever.

Voelker did not homer in the final round.

"I really felt badly for Aaron Voelker because he had to hit in the worst conditions," said Jay Fennell of Nothing But Baseball, which put the event together. "But, by that time, we had to ride it out."

Voelker won the Home Run Derby held here during Center Township's all-star tournament in July.

He said he enjoys the format.

"It's pretty cool," he said. "With all these kids here, I didn't expect to make it this far.

"All I do is block (the crowd) out and try to hit the ball hard. I'm not trying to hit home runs. When you try to hit them, they never come."

Grence couldn't help but smile as he held two trophies Monday night: one for winning the Derby and the other for hitting the most total homers (22) during the competition.

"I didn't think I was going to come back,"he said of the four-homer deficit with two outs to go. "My dad (John Grence) was throwing me good pitches and I found the groove."

Many of Grence's homers disappeared well over the outfield fence, disappearing in the rainfall and night sky.

"To hit for that kind of distance in these conditions — the baseballs were wet and they were starting to pick up weight — that was incredible,"Fennell said.

Notes: The 19 Derby participants hit a combined 270 home runs during the season. They combined to hit 91 homers during Monday's competition. ... Meridian had no players hit more than two homers in league play last year. This year, five Meridian players hit nine or more homers. ... Bobby Swartwout hit 50 homers to win last year's Derby. ... Six members of Butler Township's state championship team — Tompkins, Chris Cotton, Matthew Baranchak, Tom Bruce, Alex Ziegler and Dalton Koebler — participated in Monday's event.

The 19 participants in Monday night's Butler County Little League Home Run Derby at Center Township's field hit a combined 270 home runs during Little League play this season.Derek Grence, Zelie-Harmony: 36Anthony Graziani, Meridian: 33Jacob Koerner, Meridiab: 21Dalton Koebler, Butler Twp.: 19Zach Pilarcik, Meridian. 14Alex Ziegler, Butler Twp.: 13Aaron Voelker, Center Twp.: 13Jeremy Taggart. Meridian: 13Dane Patricelli, Center Twp.: 13David Tompkins, Butler Twp.: 12Zak Muto, Zelienople: 12Tom Bruce, Butler Twp.: 12Kyle Armagost, West Sunbury: 12Colin Williamson, East Butler: 10Tanner Wahler, East Butler: 10Matt Dowdy, Meridian: 9Matt Baranchak, Butler Twp.: 8Chris Cotton, Butler Twp.: 7Patrick Lokhaiser, Center Twp.: 3