The Norwalk Police Department won the Industrial League championship Thursday with a 4-2 win over Diageo.

Photo Credit: Tom Renner

Norwalk Police Department pitcher Mark Suda delivers during the win.

Photo Credit: Tom Renner

John Dillom pitched for Diageo.

Photo Credit: Tom Renner

NORWALK, Conn. – Hector Delgado believed his Norwalk Police Department team in the Recreation and Parks Industrial League had the players to win the championship. It was just a matter of getting them all together.

Delgado, the team’s player-manager, was right. The Police defeated Diageo, 4-2, Thursday night in the Industrial League championship game at Calf Pasture Beach. After finishing 8-6 during the regular season, the team knocked off regular-season champion Levco Energy in the semifinals to reach the championship game. Diageo was the runner-up in the regular season.

“We always knew we were a good team,’’ Delgado said. “It was just a matter of getting every one here. It’s a little harder for us with night shifts and vacations and families. It’s a credit to all the guys.”

The Police won with traditional softball efficiency on Thursday. They had strong pitching from Mark Suda, turned two double plays to get out of trouble and got timely hitting from several players in the lineup. “Defense and great pitching always wins,’’ Delgado said.

Suda allowed seven hits and got stronger as the game went on, retiring the final 10 batters. Shortstop Todd DeKlyn and second baseman Delgado turned two double plays with first baseman Jamie Wright to help snuff out Diageo threats.

DeKlyn was the hitting star, with three hits and a run scored. He scored the eventual game-winning run in the third when he laced a double down the left field line. When the ball scooted past the left fielder, he kept hustling all the way home to put the Police up 3-2. Wright’s sacrifice fly in the sixth drove home Garrett Kruger with an insurance run. Kruger reached on an infield single and raced to third on an overthrow.

Rich Delallo’s sacrifice fly drove home a run in the first and Kyle Lipeika’s RBI single drove home Wright in the second. Lipeika had three hits while Jimmy Walsh and Terry Blake had two apiece.

The Police returned to the league three years ago after being out of the league for nearly 10 years. It was their first championship since re-joining the league. Police Chief Harry Rilling attended the game to support the team.

The team consisted of Todd DeKlyn, Terry Blake, Hector Delgado, Rich Dellalo, Garrett Kruger, Mark Suda, Jamie Wright, Jimmy Walsh, Kyle Lipieka, Chris Sgritta, Tom Kalmares, Andy Koulakas and Bill Matson.