SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University football team hosted Augsburg for the 17th battle for "The Hammer" at Klas Field on Saturday afternoon. Auggies running back DJ Monroe's 176 yards rushing with one touchdown, and wide receiver Braden Tretter's 10 catches for 114 yards and one score highlighted their team's 42-21 decision over the Pipers.
Augsburg, who now owns a 13-4 record since "The Hammer" traveling trophy was established in 2005, exits Saturday with a 5-2, 3-2 MIAC record. Hamline falls to 2-5, 0-5 MIAC.
Augsburg 42, Hamline 21
The game's opening drive resulted in a touchdown courtesy of Hamline, as Charlie Wilson capped the eight-play series with a six-yard touchdown grab that gave his team a 7-0 lead with 11:45 left in the first quarter.
The Pipers wouldn't score again until the fourth quarter, where they found themselves in a 28-7 deficit. Alejandro Villanueva capped a seven-play drive that began late in the third quarter with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Ryder Hutton that narrowed Hamline's deficit to 28-14 with 13:53 left in the fourth.
DJ Monroe's 25 yards rushing on the ensuing drive set up Braden Tretter's four-yard touchdown grab from Cade Sheehan that widened Augsburg's lead to 35-14 with 7:59 left. The Auggies got the ball right back as Camdin Mathies-Carlson intercepted a Hamline pass at his team's 47, and returned it 23 yards to Hamline's 30. From there, it took them just three plays to punch it in thanks to Dominic Smith's 29-yard touchdown grab from Sheehan that pushed Augsburg's lead to 42-14 with 6:15 left.
Villanueva would close the game's scoring with a 50-yard touchdown run at the 5:14 mark, which narrowed Hamline's deficit to 42-21. He went 19-for-30 passing for 199 yards and two touchdowns, and led the team with 98 yards on the ground with one touchdown on eight carries. Ryder Hutton and Charlie Wilson each notched a touchdown catch for Hamline. Ryan Kouri and Jevon Jones paced the Pipers defense with eight tackles apiece.
Cade Sheehan finished 19-for-28 passing for 256 yards and three scores. The Pipers racked up 410 yards of offense, while Augsburg accumulated 543.
Hamline will host Macalester on Saturday, October 29 for "The Bucket" at 1 p.m.
