SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – Four years ago, Colusa’s Ethan Lay completed his high school baseball career as the Northern Section’s Most Valuable Player.
Over his four years for the RedHawks, he put in 157 innings of work on the mound, finishing with a 26-1 record, a 0.36 ERA and 255 strikeouts to his credit.
Lay then continued his career at Chico State where over two seasons and 106 innings on the hill for the Wildcats recorded 80 strikeouts.
Yet for Lay, playing Division I ball had always been the dream, so he took the leap of faith and got his chance with Sacramento State.
“When I was nearing the end of my sophomore year at Chico, I had a decision to make regarding my baseball career. I enjoyed my time at Chico, and it was the perfect fit for the player that I was coming out of high school, but as I progressed in my training and skills, I knew that I could have a chance to play Division I baseball and give myself an opportunity to play after that as well. After talking with my family and coaches at Chico, I decided to leave a guaranteed great situation behind in efforts to chase my dreams. In the summer of 2024, I played for the Bend Elks, where I met Ryan Christiansen, who is the son of Sac State’s head coach, Reggie Christiansen. After gaining some interest from a couple of schools, I felt that I was being prioritized the most at Sac State, which worked perfectly because I could continue to study mechanical engineering there without any transfer issues.”
It’s a decision that has served Lay well as now in his senior season for the Hornets, he is the staff ace, boasting to this point a 2.17 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP and 54 strikeouts in 45.2 innings on the mound.
It’s been the perfect fit as the 6’4’ righty whose journey seemingly epitomizes the phrase, “Dream big, work hard and don’t give up” explained.
“The past two years have been exactly what I was searching for when I left Chico. The baseball program at Sac State has allowed me to achieve my absolute potential. I am extremely grateful for the resources and tools that I have gained access to by playing for the Hornets. My head coach has helped me become the player that I wish to be. I have had two great pitching coaches who have prioritized my progression and growth, and really, the whole staff has had my back since day one. I can confidently say that I have been able to do everything that I have always wanted to do in my collegiate experience, and I owe a lot of that to Sac State and the people there.”
Recently named the Western Athletic Conference’s Pitcher of the Week, Lay knows that with more than a month left in the regular season there is a lot of baseball yet to be played and in that time hopes not only to continue to hone his skills, but to help position the Hornets for a spot in the postseason.
There is also without question the hope that Lay’s abilities will lift him to a shot at the big leagues, but he just in case, he also has planned for a future that doesn’t involve playing baseball.
“I will be receiving my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering this spring. After college, I plan to keep playing. I hope to get drafted or signed by an MLB team this summer. If that does not work out, I am proud to say that I will be pursuing a job in engineering with the same intent and passion that I have had for baseball.”