SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — Ethan Lay delivered a dominant performance on the mound, and the Sacramento State offense erupted for six runs in the seventh inning to turn a close game into a rout, defeating Pacific 10-0 in a nonconference baseball game Wednesday at John Smith Field.

The Hornets evened the season series after dropping a one-run decision to the Tigers last month, improving to 6-11. Pacific fell to 6-10.

The story of the afternoon was Lay, the Sacramento State starter who rebounded emphatically from a difficult outing his last time out. Against LSU on March 6, Lay was tagged for four earned runs while recording just three outs. He was flawless against Pacific, scattering two singles over seven shutout innings. He struck out six and did not walk a batter, efficiently stifling a Tigers lineup that managed only two hits total.

Pacific starter Maddox Moreno matched Lay early, tossing two hitless innings before giving way to Connor Raridan. The Hornets broke through in the second inning when third baseman Jakob Poturnak launched a solo home run to center field, a 405-foot shot with an exit velocity of 105 mph.

Sacramento State added two unearned runs in the fourth. With two on and one out, Orlando Cobarrubias singled to left field, driving in one run. A fielding error by the left fielder on the play allowed a second run to score, extending the lead to 3-0.

The Hornets manufactured another run in the fifth. Poturnak doubled down the left field line and later scored on an RBI single by shortstop Jace Jeremiah, making it 4-0.

The game remained within reach for Pacific until the decisive bottom of the seventh. Leading 5-0, the Hornets sent 10 men to the plate against relievers Bryce Cruz and the Tigers’ defense, which committed two errors in the frame. After a walk and a single loaded the bases, Cobarrubias reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, plating one run. Sam Harry then cleared the bases with a triple down the right field line, driving in three runs, though two were unearned. Erick Dessens followed with an RBI double to cap the six-run outburst and provide the final 10-0 margin.

Poturnak led the Hornets’ 14-hit attack, going 3 for 4 with the home run, a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Harry and Dessens each drove in two runs, with Dessens adding a double. Cobarrubias also finished with two RBIs.

For Pacific, which saw its pitchers allow only three earned runs, the offensive struggles continued. The Tigers’ only hits were two singles by Shank. They were shut out for the first time this season.

The most important part of the game was Lay’s commanding start, which set a dominant tone and kept his team in control while the offense sought to break the game open. His performance provided stability for a Hornets team coming off a loss to Massachusetts-Lowell on Tuesday.

The result defied the projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 4-3 Pacific victory, though the service’s ELO rating system gave Sacramento State a 75.9% probability to win.

The two teams will continue their four-game season series with three more contests over the coming days. Pacific visits Sacramento State again on Friday before the series shifts to Stockton for games on Saturday and Sunday.