ECU escapes with another OT win

GREENVILLE — Six days after beating UCF in overtime, East Carolina did it again. 

Ben Hartman kicked a 27-yard field goal in overtime to give ECU a 19-16 victory and moved to 4-1 in Conference USA play.

The Pirates led most of the game until Marshall tied it in the fourth quarter on a 34-yard touchdown pass.

Third quarter: That late ECU touchdown appeared to be a big momentum changer.

But Marshall came thundering out in the third quarter and wheeled 47 yards on 10 plays, with lefty quarterback Mark Cann rifling a seven-yard scoring pass to Cody Slate on third down.

That cut ECU’s lead to 13-9 and Ratanamorn missed the extra point, banging the ball off the upright.

Too close for comfort, said the Pirates.

Pinkney, finding his rhythm in the passing game, airlifted the Pirates down field again.

Denied a touchdown, Hartman -- the trusty Hartman -- came on and added a 21-yard field goal for a 16-9  advantage. 

Second quarter: The Pirates pumped their lead to 13-3 on Ben Hartman’s second field goal and a five-yard touchdown pass from Pinkney to Davon Drew.

Hartman hit a 51-yarder, his longest of the season.

After Craig Ratanamorn narrowed ECU’s lead to 6-3 with a 31-yard boot, the Pirates’ offense kicked into gear.

With Pinkney opening completing passes, ECU drove 73 yards in nine snaps for the TD.

The march included a 33-yard completion to Drew on third down, then the five-yard scoring toss with 12 seconds left in the half.

First quarter: Despite a plenty-plauged start, East Carolina took a 3-0 first period lead against Marshall.

The Pirates got on the board with 3:48 left in the quarter when Ben Hartman kicked a 31-yard field goal, culminating a drive engineered by starting quarterback Patrick Pinkney.

Prior to Hartman’s boot, ECU’s Norman Whitley had a two-yard touchdown called back when because of a chop blocking penalty, a 15-yard infraction.

The Pirates also were guilty of  four other penalties -- offside,  a personal foul on a Marshall fair catch, a  face mask, and late hit.

Amid all that mayhem, ECU’s Emanuel Davis continued his bandit-like play on defense, coming up with two interceptions -- after getting charged with a personal foul on the fair-catch hit.

It was Davis who had the big interception in overtime of ECU’s 13-10 win over Central Florida last Sunday.