You know, with enough athletics that warhammer user will never, ever be able to hit you, right? The warhammer user literally needs to be in your face to be able to hit you.
As the long hafted spiked mace user won't be using a shield, you have more points to spend on athletics. Not to mention you don't have the added weight of a shield slowing you down. Unless you're fighting a shielder with high athletics, it's pretty easy to counter.