Charleston Battery News Release -- www.charlestonbattery.com

Thursday, July 5, 2012

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Charleston Battery take on their USL PRO rival the Charlotte Eagles on Friday night at Blackbaud Stadium; gates open at 6 p.m. with kick off set for 7:30 p.m. ($10 - $18, 971-4625 / charlestonbattery.com). The Battery (10-4-0) enter the weekend in second place in the USL PRO standings, four points behind league-leading Orlando City, but having played one game fewer.

The Battery are back at Blackbaud Stadium after splitting a two-game series last weekend against Antigua Barracuda FC down in Antigua. Charleston won the first match 2-0 but dropped the second game 1-0 in an often heated match that saw Charleston receive its first red card of the season as defender Cody Ellison was sent off midway through the second half.

Charleston and Charlotte have played once already this season with the Battery defeating the Eagles 3-0 behind goals from Tony Donatelli, Ryan Richter and JC Mack. That game was played at the University of Winthrop Stadium back on April 17.

The Battery and the Eagles share a 20-year rivalry and along with fellow USL PRO side the Richmond Kickers are the longest continuously operating professional soccer teams in the United States.

The Charleston Battery first played the Charlotte Eagles in both clubs’ inaugural seasons back in 1993. The teams met twice that year with the Battery winning both games, 3-1 at home and 1-0 in the return fixture.

Over the past 20 years the teams have met 31 times in competitive fixtures (regular season, postseason & U.S. Open Cup) with Charleston winning 22 games, losing five with four ties.

Immediately following the game on Friday night there will be a Fireworks Display.

Friday’s game is the first of a two-match series as the Battery and the Eagles will head to Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday night for the second game. Both games will be broadcast live on 1340 AM.