Charleston, SC.The Charleston Battery has its sights set on an elite cup final berth when it battles the Seattle Sounders Tuesday night in the US Open Cup semifinal at Blackbaud Stadium (gates 6:00 PM – kick off 7:30 PM, $10 - $18, 971-GOAL / charlestonbattery.com). Should the Battery knock off fellow United Soccer Leagues club Seattle, it will progress to its first-ever final of the nation's oldest and most storied soccer tournament, officially dubbed the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

A win will also guarantee a Major League Soccer opponent in the final, with DC United and the New England Revolution meeting in the other semifinal tonight at RFK Stadium. Blackbaud Stadium could host the championship game on Sept. 22 if the Revolution bounces DC United.

This is the Battery's third semifinal appearance—the most by any USL club since the inception of MLS in 1996—and the first time its hosted such a game. In 2004 the Battery lost a final-four fixture at MLS's Chicago Fire in a tight 1-0 OT result. Five years previously it was the Colorado Rapids, another MLS club, who ended the Battery's bid for the championship game with a 3-0 win.

Only one USL club has ever progressed to the final since 1996, which was the year the Rochester Rhinos were defeated by DC United. Three years later the Rhinos won the trophy, beating the Rapids 2-0.

In last year's tournament the Battery lost a quarterfinal to MLS's FC Dallas, but exacted revenge this season by defeating the MLSers 3-1, on the road, in the same round—the first time the Battery has beaten an MLS opponent away from home. Charleston edged the ASC New Stars (USASA), the Charlotte Eagles (USL-2) and the Houston Dynamo (MLS) en-route to the quarterfinals.

Seattle has also performed well against MLS outfits this year, defeating Chivas USA and the Kansas City Wizards prior to the semis. This is the Sounders' final US Open Cup tourney as a USL club; next year they make way for the brand-new MLS franchise, Seattle Sounders FC.

Tuesday's game also marks the final time the Sounders play the Battery as a USL franchise (unless the teams meet in the USL1 playoffs). In league play this year the clubs have met thrice, with each winning on home turf and playing a third to a tie. Charleston remains in third place in the USL First Division, with Seattle three points behind in fourth.

The Battery is led by leading scorer Randi Patterson, who has eight league goals on the season, but will be without dangerous midfielder Lazo Alavanja. Alavanja scored in the Battery's quarterfinal defeat of Dallas, but was ejected late in the game and will be unavailable for selection.

Seattle is led by Sebastien Le Toux who has notched 10 league goals and five in the U.S. Open Cup (tournament leader); LeToux was named USL First Division MVP in 2007.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the U.S. Soccer Federation's National Championship, and is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest annual team tournament in U.S. sports history and among the oldest soccer tournaments of its type in the world. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor long-time soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.

At stake in the tournament is $180,000 in prize money broken down as follows: $100,000 to the champion, $50,000 to the runner up and $10,000 to the team that advances deepest into the tournament from each of the Division II, Division III and amateur levels. The winner of the U.S. Open Cup also receives an automatic berth into the CONCACAF Champions League.