It would be difficult to top what this all-star team accomplished last summer.

But Kent County’s District I players will happily return to the World Series in Lower Sussex after capturing the Big League softball East title with a 12-3 victory over New York on Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, District I had to score a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge Massachusetts District-3, 2-1, to reach the championship game of the nine-team tournament being played in Worcester, Mass.

A year after winning the Big League World Series, Kent County will go back to Roxana for the Big League Series, which starts on Sunday. District I opens the tourney with a 5:30 p.m. game against Sussex County’s District III.

There are seven players plus the coaching staff back from last year’s Big League squad.

In Wednesday’s East title game, Milford’s Shaina Reed pitched a complete game, struck out three and also hit a two-run homerun. Haylee Scruggs of Milford, who went 4-for-4, also hit a two-run homer, had two doubles and had six RBI.

Kent County, which went 6-0 in the regional, hit a total of 12 homeruns in the tournament.

Also for District I, Felton-Harrington’s Kerrigan Simpson (3 runs, 1 RBI) went 3-for-4 while Camden-Wyoming’s Cassety Howerin (2 runs, 1 RBI) went 2-for-4. Kent County had to go eight innings to beat New York, 4-1, earlier in the tourney.

In the semifinals, Reed singled home former Polytech High teammate Whitney DeMora with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. District I led 1-0 before Massachusetts tied it with a homerun in the top of the seventh.

Major League

Lower Sussex 13, Massachusetts 5: Lauren Holladay drove in five runs as Lower Sussex stayed alive in the East Regional of Major League softball.

Lower Sussex will have to beat Rhode Island twice today to make the World Series.

Baseball

Junior League

Dover 11, Brandywine 0: Michael Baker and Dylan Jacobs each drove in a pair of runs as Dover opened the Junior League state tournament with a victory.

Hiram Davis, Dominic Velazquez, Andrew Carney and Michael Carrington all combined for the shutout. Dover plays Lower Sussex tonight at 7 p.m.

Major League

Newark American 12, Milton 2: District II champion Newark American took the opening game in the Major League state tournament on Wednesday night.

Newark American will face District I champion M.O.T. today at 7 p.m. in the double-elimination tourney being played at Smyrna-Clayton.

Milton, the District III champion, will play the loser of that contest on Friday at 7 p.m.