NORFOLK, VA -- Old Dominion sophomore Anthony Shawler pitched his league-leading fifth complete game and the second complete game in a row for the Monarchs as the Old Dominion University baseball team shutout the University of Delaware, 4-0, on Saturday afternoon in Norfolk.

The Hens (14-19, 7-9 CAA) were held to only four hits for the second straight game after Dan Hudson’s complete game on Friday evening. Steve Spiese (right) allowed only two hits and struck out four in three innings of scoreless relief for the Hens. The shutout was the third of the season for Shawler. The win clinched ODU’s first series victory over the Blue Hens since Delaware joined the Colonial Athletic Association before the 2002 season.

Old Dominion (27-16, 14-5 CAA) got all the runs they would need in the fourth. The Monarchs started off the inning with back-to-back base hits. Nick Erdman’s sacrifice bunt provided the chance for a double play, but the throw by Blue Hen starter Brent Gaphardt pulled Alex Buchholz off the bag and no outs were recorded, loading the bases with no outs. Gaphardt then struck out Jake McAloose for the first out, but Cameron Scott’s sacrifice fly brought in the first run of the game. Joe Velleggia then lined out to right to end the inning and the Monarchs scored only the one unearned run out of the rally.

With one out in the fifth, Chris Keenan singled to second base despite an outstanding diving stop by Kyle Davis. Keenan then moved to third on consecutive wild pitches by Gaphardt. Gaphardt struck out Mike Zahm for the second out, and after the third wild pitch of the inning brough home Zahm and moved Shawler to third, David Burns singled through the middle to score Shawler with the third ODU run. After a walk to McAloose loaded the bases, another walk to Scott forced home the third run of the innng, and the Monarchs led 4-0.

The Hens best threat came in the sixth when they put runners on the corners with two outs, but Shawler got Bryan Hagerich to fly out to left to end the inning.

Shawler moved his perfect record to 9-0, while Gaphardt took the loss to fall to 2-2.

The Hens and Monarchs wrap up their series tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Bud Metheny Complex.

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