Mules #DigInForDuke, Capture 2017 Asa Bushnell Bowl

11/18/2017 2:33:26 PM

BOX SCORE | HIGHLIGHTS

NEWARK, Del. - Muhlenberg held Carnegie Mellon to just two field goals and 246 yards of total offense as the Mules (8-3) defeated the Tartans (7-4) 32-6 on Saturday in the ECAC Ash S. Bushnell Bowl held at Delaware Stadium.

The Mules picked off four CMU passes on the day, and outscored them 32-3 over the last three quarters en route to the victory.

Muhlenberg senior safety Amir Blair (Tobyhanna, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) was named as the game's MVP, as he had eight tackles (six solo), two pass breakups, an interception and a tackle in the end zone that resulted in a safety.

Freshman quarterback Michael Hnatkowsky (Philadelphia, Pa./William Penn Charter) threw for 165 yards on 12-for-20 passing and also rushed for 60 yards. The Mules finished with 356 yards of total offense. Freshman running back James Diggs (Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley) rushed for 75 yards on 13 carries with two scores.

Carnegie Mellon got 178 passing yards from junior quarterback Alex Cline (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome), while junior wide receiver Karl-Mark Kumm (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) had seven catches for 80 yards, both game highs.

Carnegie Mellon took its only lead in game on a field goal by senior place kicker Tyler Kohman (Pataskala, Ohio/Columbus Academy) with 3:29 left in the first, going up 3-0.

Muhlenberg would score ten points in the final 2:43, with Hnatkowsky throwing a 49-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Josiah Wright (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) with 2:43 left to go up 7-3, then came back off of a turnover and kicked a 24-yard field goal off the foot of sophomore kicker Todd Spirt (Dresher, Pa./Upper Dublin) with 1:21 left to take a 10-3 lead into the half.

In the third, senior running back Matthew Stickney (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) scored on a 2-yard run with 6:54 left to give Muhlenberg a 17-3 lead. CMU would score its final points of the game with 1:44 left in the third when Kohman kicked his second field goal of the game, this time from 28 yards out.

Diggs scored both of his touchdowns in the fourth quarter, on runs of 5 and 2-yards. His last one, a 2-yard dive, gave Muhlenberg a 32-6 lead.

Muhlenberg was a perfect 4-for-4 in the red zone.

ABOUT ECAC D3 FOOTBALL FEST

Now in its third year, ECAC Division III Football Fest (#ECACD3FBFEST) is a one-of-a-kind event in college athletics.

The ECAC moved the Division III football bowl games to a neutral site in 2015 in an effort to enhance the postseason experience offered to its student-athletes, and in that regard, last year's event was a resounding success. The ECAC is excited to partner with the University of Delaware Department of Athletics to bring this year's DIII Football Fest to Delaware Stadium, and creating the memorable championship experience our student-athletes deserve.