MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The Alabama baseball team, one strike away from its ninth straight win, found itself on the short end of 7-6 loss in the series finale against the College of Charleston Sunday afternoon at Patriots Point Stadium.

Alabama (8-1), who had scored five runs in the seventh inning to retake the lead, held a one-run lead entering the bottom of the ninth inning, but a two-out double and costly throwing error led to the tying and winning runs crossing the plate as Charleston rallied past the Crimson Tide.

The throwing error was Alabama’s third error of the game. The Crimson Tide had committed only three errors in its first eight games this season.

Charleston right-hander Thomas Schiller (3-0) earned the win with 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. He allowed two hits and struck out three. Jake Smith (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing two runs and two hits with one strikeout in the ninth inning.

Alabama and Auburn will meet in the 2010 Capital City Classic on Tuesday, March 9, at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery. The non-conference game will begin at 7 p.m. (CT). The Crimson Tide will open a 10-game home stand today at 6:35 p.m. against Michigan State.