Defensive back Chris Fondakowski picked off Hamline quarterback Justice Spriggs and returned it for a 46-yard touchdown to help give the fourth-ranked Tommies a 43-20 halftime lead over Hamline Saturday at O’Shaughnessy Stadium.

Running back Tucker Trettel scored the game’s first touchdown with a 5-yard run and added another 53-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. He recorded over 100 rushing yards in the first half.

Quarterback Alex Fenske threw two 3-yard touchdown passes to tight end Jackson Hull to increase the Tommies’ lead. Fenske later completed an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nick Waldvogel.

Defensive lineman Ryan Winter tallied three sacks with two coming in the first quarter.

A fifteen-yard St. Thomas penalty resulted in a Naji El-Araby 3-yard rushing touchdown to put the Pipers down by one with 5:17 left in the first quarter. El-Araby ran for two touchdowns in the first half.

Hamline’s one point deficit was short lived, but a 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nick Kampa brought the score within two.

St. Thomas entered the game fresh off the bye week with an undefeated record (4-0 MIAC, 6-0 overall), while Hamline sported a 4-2 record (2-2 MIAC, 4-2 overall).

Carolyn Meyer can be reached at cameyer@stthomas.edu.