SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For the second time this season and the third time in his Sacramento State career, senior right-hander Ethan Lay has been named the Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week the league office announced on Monday.

Lay, whose first award of the season came back on March 23, becomes the first Hornet hurler to earn multiple pitcher of the week awards in a single season since Travis Adams did so twice on March 8 and April 26 during the 2021 season.

The Colusa, Calif., native added another chapter to his stellar season with his third-straight "quality start" — and the seventh such performance of the year — in the series opener against UT Arlington, scattering five hits over seven shutout innings, striking out two and walking only one.

He induced 11 ground ball outs and retired six straight hitters at one point while stranding five Maverick baserunners in the 2-1 victory. Lay pitched at least seven innings for the fifth time in 10 starts and allowed two-or-fewer earned runs for the sixth consecutive start while holding UTA to a .208 average.

Friday's victory over the Mavericks was his second straight and his fourth in his last six starts, lowering his ERA to 1.93 on the year.

Entering this week's games, Lay leads the league in innings pitched (60.2) and fewest walks allowed (7) while ranking second in the WAC in ERA, average against (.220), and strikeouts (66). He also stands among the top 10 in fewest hits allowed (10th - 51) and fewest runs allowed (5th - 22).

Winners of seven of its last 10 overall, Sacramento State returns to the diamond for a midweek game at UC Davis on Tuesday (April 21) at 6 p.m., before heading to Southern California for a three-game series against No. 1 UCLA on April 24-26.