The Suffolk Department of Fire and Rescue defeated the Suffolk Police Department for the second straight year on the softball field Saturday at Peanut Park. The two sides split the first two games of the morning before Fire and Rescue won the rubber game 22-13.

The real winner, and the real purpose for the softball tournament, was the March of Dimes and raising money to go to research for premature babies and infant health.

Last spring, the idea for the inaugural tournament came from Erin Hughes of the Suffolk Police Department. Her daughter, Virginia, was born 17 weeks premature.

Saturday, Virginia had the important honor of presenting the trophy to William Kessinger, coach of the Fire and Rescue team.

During the action on the field there were only a couple mild injuries and many more laughs.

Fire and Rescue, the more experienced of the two teams as the department has a slow-pitch team that plays regularly in a league, slugged its way to a big lead early in the third game. Fire and Rescue put up six runs in the second inning and seven in the fourth, building an 18-6 lead at that point.

Donations to March of Dimes were collected and, even before Saturday’s games, Hughes said this year’s fundraising was ahead of last year’s.

“It’s really exciting to see a lot more support as we grow. Hopefully, soon we’ll be able to invite other cities and make this a much bigger event,” Hughes said.

March of Dimes is holding another fundraiser this coming Saturday. The March of Dimes March for Babies, a five-mile walk, will be held at Constant’s Wharf on April 24. Registration starts at 8 a.m. with the walk starting at 9 a.m.