ANDERSON, S.C. - Despite home runs from catcher LJ Newman and right-fielder Ryan Flynn, Anderson University baseball fell short of its comeback bid, falling to Newberry, 9-7, in a rare mid-week nonconference tilt between the teams Wednesday afternoon at Anderson Memorial Stadium.

With the setback, the Trojans fall below .500 on the season and drop to 7-8 overall, while Newberry brings its win total to double figures with a 10-7 mark on the season.

Junior first baseman Steven Cooper led the Trojans with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate, headlined by a two-run single in the third inning to put Anderson on the scoreboard for the first time of the day. Newman followed the infielder with two hits, including his third home run of the season with a three-run blast in the fifth inning.

Five other Trojans posted hits on the afternoon, as Garrett Bernardo and Zach McIlroy each posted ninth-inning doubles to keep the Trojans alive. Flynn, who made his second start of the season in right field, knocked his first collegiate home run to lead off the ninth inning to hand Anderson life, facing a 9-5 deficit.

Five AU pitchers saw time on the mound today, as the back-end of the bullpen consisting of right-handers Andrew Dill and Mitchell Cooksey shined by allowing just one Newberry hit in the final three innings. Dill, who made his fifth appearance, struck out two NC hitters, while Cooksey finished the ninth and struck out one.

Newberry used runs in five of the first six innings to jump out to a 9-5 lead heading into the bottom half of the ninth. After Flynn lined his home run over the left-field wall, McIlroy followed with a double down the right-field line and eventually scored on a double from Bernardo.

With a Trojans threatening, Newberry hurler Daniel Nations got out of the jam by getting Cooper to fly out to center field, ending the game at 9-7.

Anderson returns to the diamond on Friday when it hits the road to South Atlantic Conference rival Coker for a three-game series. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 2 p.m., as the set comes to a close on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.