Editor’s Note: Louisville City FC’s last-ever (probably) match at Louisville Slugger Field is on Saturday. To celebrate City’s time on the ball diamond, Andrew Oost, author and longtime dedicated LouCity fan, put together this daily countdown ofthe best six games ever played on a combination of grass and green carpet laid over dirt with a retractable pitchers’ mound. Enjoy!

Previously: No. 6 – 2015 Conference Semifinal vs. Charleston Battery; No. 5 – 2018 Conference Final vs. New York Red Bulls II; No. 4 – 2015 Season Opener vs. St. Louis; No. 3 – the Sean Reynolds “5” game vs. FCC

Slugger’s Greatest Hits, #2

Louisville City FC 1, New York Red Bulls II 1, (Penalties 4-3)

Eastern Conference Final, November 4, 2017

For the first two seasons, the rivalry between Louisville City and New York Red Bulls II had been a rather lopsided affair. NYRBII won the first five matchups between the teams. The 2016 Eastern Conference Final was an especially sore point, a gut-wrenching loss on penalty kicks that marked City’s second consecutive defeat in the penultimate game of the USL playoffs.

In 2016, LouCity had managed to compile the second-best record in the USL for the second straight time, only to again be denied a spot in the final by a historically great team. New York had only lost three games out of 30 that season, and compiled a massive +40 goal differential. City was a force in 2016, but the Baby Red Bulls were a bridge too far.

In 2017 the pendulum began to swing in the other direction. In a savvy bit of off-season business, James O’Connor had managed to lure Red Bulls II stalwart midfielder Speedy Williams to Louisville, along with Oscar Jimenez, Sean Totsch, Brian Ownby, and Luke Spencer. These new additions all played a significant role in the squad, and City fairly cruised to their first Eastern Conference regular season title, finishing eight points ahead of the second place Charleston Battery.

New York had fallen off sharply from their blazing 2016 form, and only managed a 7th place finish in the East. O’Connor’s revamped side finally unlocked the mystery of the Baby Bulls, and had taken both regular season contests, outscoring New York 5-1 in the two contests.

Louisville City reached their third consecutive Eastern Conference Final in as many tries, taking out Bethlehem Steel in a 4-0 first round rout, followed by an incredibly hard fought 1-0 semi-final victory over Rochester. Brian Ownby was in blazing form, scoring in both matches, including the lone goal against Rochester.

Despite their lackluster regular season, Red Bulls II were always going to be a dangerous team in the playoffs. Young legs coupled with an aggressive, attacking style meant that in a one-off game, they could beat anyone. Charleston learned this the hard way, getting blitzed 4-0 in the first round, and Tampa learned it in the semi-finals, falling at home to Red Bulls in extra time.

A crowd of 10,047 were on hand at Slugger Field on November 4, 2017, hoping that the wait for their club’s first trip to the USL Cup final would come to an end that evening. They would be waiting for a long while. Louisville City took the lead from moment of individual brilliance from Brian Ownby in the 12th minute, but it was cancelled out by an equally brilliant goal from Junior Flemmings in the 57th minute. The teams remained in a stalemate through 90 minutes.

New York had the best chance in extra time, when a 97th minute Ethan Kutler free kick forced an incredible diving save from Greg Ranjitsingh. The heroics from the LouCity keeper foreshadowed what was to come. Extra time ended, and for the second year running, another high-stakes shootout would be needed to determine the Eastern Conference Champion.

Due to the presence of the dreaded “Turf Monster” at Preston Street end of the pitch, the PKs were to occur on the opposite end, prompting hundreds of Coopers to run through the concourse to join the throngs in Scouse’s House, packing the space behind the goal with an inspirational display from a united Purple Family.

Both teams netted in the first round of PKs, but dread set in when New York keeper Evan Louro saved Paulo del Piccolo’s shot in the second round, putting Red Bulls up 3-1. Sean Totsch pulled one back for LouCity in the third round of kicks, but Louisville needed a save to have a chance.

In the 4th round of kicks, Greg Ranjitsinigh provided that chance, diving to his left for a spectacular save off a Ben Mines kick. Oscar Jiminez finally brought City level in the 4th round, setting up perhaps the most stunning save in Louisville City history.

Ethan Kutler stepped to the spot in the 5th round, and blasted a shot to Ranjitsingh’s right that seemed destined for the back of the net. A fully extended Ranjitsingh flew through the air, tipped the ball with his left hand onto the crossbar. The ball bounced directly down, just inches from the goal line, before Ranjitsingh snatched it up. The crowd went wild, and Louisville City were back from the brink.

In an ending that seemed almost scripted, Richard Ballard, a rookie and the only Louisville native on the roster, stepped up and buried the winning kick, sending Louisville City FC to their first USL Cup Final, and sending the crowd into delirium.

While Ballard’s PK was the coup de grâce, it was Greg Ranjitsingh who was the true hero of the night, with at least three massive saves that preserved hope for his squad. It was as tough and gritty a victory as Louisville City ever had, and set them up for a chance at glory a week later, a story to be told in the next edition of Slugger’s Greatest Hits.