SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — Ethan Lay delivered a dominant pitching performance and the Sacramento State offense erupted for a season-high 12 hits as the Hornets routed the Winthrop Eagles 13-1 in a nonconference baseball game Thursday at John Smith Field.

The game, which defied a national projection of a close Winthrop victory, was effectively decided by Sacramento State’s explosive eight-run second inning and the sheer mastery of Lay on the mound. The right-hander stifled a Winthrop lineup that entered with a 15-6 record, allowing just one hit over eight shutout innings while striking out 11 and walking none.

Winthrop took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first without a hit, capitalizing on a walk, a hit batter, and a sacrifice fly by No Lay. That would prove to be the highlight for the Eagles, as Lay promptly settled into a relentless groove. From the final out of the first inning through the eighth, he retired 23 of the 24 batters he faced, with only a fourth-inning double by Jake Wouters breaking up his perfection. Lay’s performance followed a seven-inning, two-hit shutout of Pacific in his previous start.

The Hornets, now 9-13, immediately erased the deficit and seized control in the bottom of the second against Winthrop starter Brayden GIlley. Sam Harry and JP Cortez singled to set the table, and Ryan Perazzo tied the game with a sacrifice bunt that brought Harry home. After an infield single by Connor Ott loaded the bases, Ryan Ellis drew a walk to force in the go-ahead run. Erick Dessens then delivered the decisive blow, a two-run single to left field that made it 4-1. The inning continued with two more hits and a walk, ultimately forcing GIlley from the game after 1 1/3 innings, having allowed five earned runs.

Dessens was the offensive catalyst for Sacramento State, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. He went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, adding an RBI double in the fourth inning and scoring two more times. Harry also had a strong day at the plate, going 3 for 5 with an RBI and three runs scored.

The Hornets added single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, with the sixth-inning tally coming on a wild pitch. They then put the game completely out of reach with a five-run eighth inning, sending 11 batters to the plate. The rally was fueled by three walks, a hit batter, and run-scoring hits from Luis Pimentel-Guerrero and JP Poturnak. Harry and pinch-hitter Tyler Hadley added RBI groundout and sacrifice fly, respectively.

Winthrop’s bullpen had moments of effectiveness but was overwhelmed by the Hornets’ persistent offense. Shane Keup struck out all three batters he faced in relief of Casey Culbreth in the sixth inning. The Eagles’ only other hit was a ninth-inning single by Matt Handzel, who later scored the team’s lone run on a wild pitch from Hornets’ reliever Ian Winterhalder.

The most important sequence of the game was unquestionably the bottom of the second inning. After Lay had weathered a shaky first, the Hornets’ sent 12 men to bat, recorded five hits, drew two walks, and transformed a one-run deficit into a four-run lead. This offensive outburst, combined with Lay’s immediate return to form on the mound, established a tone of complete Sacramento State control from which Winthrop never recovered.

The Eagles fell to 15-7. The two teams continue their three-game series Friday and Saturday at John Smith Field.