DAVIS, Calif. (Interstat) — Sam Harry homered on the game’s first pitch and the Sacramento State pitching staff combined on a three-hit shutout over the final six innings as the Hornets routed UC Davis 7-1 on Wednesday at Dobbins Baseball Complex.

The Hornets (19-23) salvaged a split of the two-game midweek series after being shut out by the Aggies (18-21) on Tuesday. The victory defied a pregame projection from Interstat’s simulator, which had forecast a 7-6 win for UC Davis.

Harry, the Hornets’ center fielder, set the tone immediately, driving the first offering from UC Davis starter Valdez deep over the center field wall. That early blow proved to be all the offense Sacramento State would need, thanks to a dominant bullpen effort.

After starter Konner Entz allowed one run on three hits in the third inning — a sacrifice fly by UC Davis’s Wooldridge that scored Murphy — the Hornets’ relievers took over. Entz finished with three innings pitched, allowing one earned run.

Chase Sorlie recorded two outs in the fourth before giving way to Sean Carey with two Aggies on base. Carey induced a fielder’s choice to escape the jam, beginning a stretch of near-perfect relief.

Colin Hunter, who followed Carey, was particularly overpowering. He entered with two on and two out in the sixth and got Wright to ground out. Hunter then pitched three and one-third perfect innings, striking out two, to earn the win. Carey and Hunter combined for five and one-third hitless frames.

Sacramento State broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning, capitalizing on Aggie miscues. Jace Jeremiah walked and scored on a passed ball. After an RBI single by Ott, Harry tripled to drive in another run and later scored on a wild pitch. Harry finished three for five with a home run, a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored.

Jeremiah added a solo home run in the sixth inning to extend the lead. He went two for three with two walks. The Hornets tallied 12 hits total, while UC Davis managed eight, with only three after the third inning.

UC Davis reliever Grayson Bonanno provided a bright spot for the Aggies, throwing two perfect innings with two strikeouts after the early exit of the starter. Carter Speights and Taylor Werth also contributed scoreless relief outings.

The loss went to UC Davis starter Valdez, who recorded just one out while surrendering Harry’s leadoff homer.

The most critical sequence of the game occurred in the bottom of the fourth inning. With Sacramento State leading 7-1, UC Davis threatened to cut into the deficit, putting runners on second and third with only one out against reliever Chase Sorlie. Sean Carey entered and, after a strikeout, got Murphy to ground into a fielder’s choice, leaving the runners stranded. This escape preserved the six-run cushion and allowed the Hornets’ pitching staff to settle into a dominant rhythm, shutting down the Aggie offense completely for the remainder of the contest.

Sacramento State next travels to face UCLA for a three-game series starting Friday. UC Davis opens a home series against Long Beach State on Friday. The two rivals will meet again in Davis on May 5.