- The Sauce (2019)

First Impressions
The Hammer The Sauce 2019 comes in a striking red-black-magenta color scheme and is billed as one of the most aggressive bowling balls to come out of the Hammer lineup. At its heart is the Modified Contrusion core, a symmetrical core design with a low RG of 2.47 at 15 pounds and a differential of 0.049. The engineers reworked the original Contrusion core to comply with the modern USBC rules while retaining the characteristic fast-revving ball motion. The cover is the Aggression Solid CFI coverstock in a 500/2000 Abralon surface, which according to the manufacturer offers more traction than any other cover Hammer had in its program at that time.
Comparison
Compared to other strong symmetrical balls such as the Storm Phaze II, The Sauce shows noticeably more aggressive behavior in the midlane along with a strong backend reaction. While the Phaze II is known for its controlled and predictable path, The Sauce demonstrates a heavier roll with a slower response to friction. This characteristic makes it less prone to overreacting to dry spots, but it can lead to sluggish behavior when there isn't enough oil. Testing has shown that The Sauce retains enough energy for pin carry even on slightly errant shots, whereas other balls in this class might lose their energy too early.
On the Lanes
The Sauce is aimed primarily at players who like to play more direct angles on medium to heavy oil conditions. If you throw the ball fast, you'll especially benefit from the aggressive surface prep, which ensures sufficient traction through the heads and midlane even on quicker shots. For tournament players, The Sauce makes a good first choice on fresh, high-volume patterns, while league bowlers can use it successfully on house shots if they're willing to adjust their line accordingly. The low RG characteristic produces an early roll phase and helps deliver consistent results even over longer sessions. Strokers should be careful, since the ball may use up its energy too early if ball speed is too low.