NORFOLK, VA -- The Old Dominion Monarchs, picked as the favorites to capture the Colonial Athletic Association crown in the league's preseason poll, completed a three-game sweep of the University of Delaware baseball team after winning both ends of Sunday’s doubleheader with a 3-2 victory in the opener and a 9-8 win in the nightcap at the Bud Metheny Complex.

The two defeats extended Delaware's losing streak to eight games. That marks the toughest stretch for the team since the 2004 squad suffered through a 10-game skid.

As it has done during much of the season, the Delaware offense spotted the team an early advantage in both games, but the pitching staff could not hold on to either lead.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Delaware offense gave the team an early four-run lead, but the bullpen could not hold down the Old Dominion lineup as the Monarchs scored five runs off two Blue Hen relievers to capture the victory and sweep the series.

After Old Dominion (8-4, 3-0 CAA) was spotted a two-run lead in the first inning, Delaware (3-9, 0-3 CAA) used a four-run third to make up the difference and take the lead in the nightcap. During the frame, Chris Nehl and Kyle Davis roped back-to-back singles to lead off the rally before Adam Tsakonas slammed a double to right center that brought in Nehl.

Alex Buchholz added a two-run double down the right field line, which scored both Davis and Tsakonas. Bill Merkler (at right), playing in his first series of the season, capped off the inning with a single through the left side of the infield that brought home Buchholz.

In the bottom of the inning, the Monarchs looked ready to answer the Blue Hen rally as singles by Bryan Cipolla and Anthony Shawler and a walk to David Burns loaded the bases with only one out. However, Brad Miller, making his first start of the season for Delaware, quickly worked out of the jam as he struck out Chris Buss before inducing an inning-ending pop up by Chris Keenan.

In the fourth, Delaware tacked on two more runs after a single by Merkler drove in Davis and Tsakonas, who had earlier reached on a single and walk, respectively. This time, Old Dominion had an answer as an RBI double by Gerard Hall and sacrifice fly by Max Most in the bottom of the fourth pulled the Monarchs within two at 6-4.

The following inning, the Hens brought in Corey Crispell to relieve Miller, but the Monarchs chased the freshman for two runs in the fifth after Burns greeted him with a single before Shawler clocked a two-run home run to tie the game at six.

Delaware quickly untied the game as Merkler and Pat Dameron led off the sixth with singles. After they advanced on a wild pitch, a sacrifice fly by Harden brought in Merkler before a double by Nehl knocked in Dameron.

The Blue Hen lead was short-lived, however, as the Monarchs also scored twice in the inning. Following a lead-off walk to Jimmy Miles and a double by Most, Old Dominion's Bryan Cipollo and Burns both notched RBI groundouts to retie the game at eight.

Although Josh Dean reached third with two outs in the top of the eighth, the Hens' rightfielder could not complete the circuit as Nehl struck out to strand him 90-feet away from home. In the bottom of the frame, the Monarchs were not as unlucky as they scored the go-ahead run to complete their comeback.

After Crispell walked Miles with one out, the Hens brought in closer David Slovak. Despite the substitution, the Monarchs' centerfielder stole second, advanced to third on anerror by Buchholz, and scored on an RBI single by Cipolla.

Crispell suffered the loss, falling to 0-3 on the season. Kyle Hald (2-0), who pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless ball out of the bullpen, notched the win.

The opener played much like the second game as the Blue Hens grabbed an early lead after they kicked off the scoring in the top of the third with the benefit of only one hit. After Ryan Reed reached on an error by Hall and advanced to second on a ground out by Matt Harden, Scott Shockley drove him in with an RBI single to left field.

The Monarchs responded in the bottom of the inning as Miles worked a walk and Most clocked a two-run home run down the right field line that put ODU up, 2-1. Two innings later, they added their third run of the game after Miles singled, Most moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt, and Cipolla drove him home with a double to right center.

Delaware whittled away at the two-run deficit in the sixth as the Hens recorded a run after Davis led off with a single and moved to third after Tsakonas added a hit of his own. Buchholz followed with a deep fly to right field that scored Davis.

The Hens' final trip to the plate in the seventh did not help the team's cause as a walk to Reed was all Delaware could muster.

Shawler (2-1) fired a complete game effort to notch the win, while Brian Rorick (1-2), who scattered seven hits and struck out six in his five innings, picked up the loss.

Davis finished the day with a team-high four hits, while Merkler added three in the nightcap. Tsakonas also had three hits during the doubleheader, while Nehl had two to go along with a run and RBI.

The Blue Hens will return to action for a two-game mid-week showdown with the Maryland Terrapins beginning at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Game No. 1 Boxscore

Game No. 2 Boxscore