Ashton Gray rushed for two touchdowns and East Carolina held on to beat Charlotte 17-16 on Saturday for the Pirates’ third straight win and their third consecutive season of bowl eligibility

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Ashton Gray rushed for two touchdowns, and East Carolina held on to beat Charlotte 17-16 on Saturday for the Pirates' third straight win and their third consecutive season of bowl eligibility.

Gray scored on a 7-yard run on the first play of the second quarter, but the 49ers (1-9, 1-5 American) led 16-7 at the half on Conner Harrell's 11-yard TD throw to Jaden Barnes and three Aiden Bui field goals. Gray took a direct snap and scored from a yard out in the third quarter before Noah Perez gave the Pirates (6-4, 4-2) the one-point lead in the fourth with a 43-yard field goal.

Perez missed a 31-yard field goal with 2:12 remaining, and Charlotte took over on its own 20. DJ Johnson Jr., though, intercepted a tipped pass and returned it to the Charlotte 12, and the Pirates ran out the clock.

The 49ers had only 22 yards of total offense, including minus-17 on the ground, in the second half.

Gray finished with 88 yards on 24 carries. Emory Williams was 18-of-34 passing for 143 yards and was intercepted twice.

Harrell was 15 of 29 for 161 yards with a TD and two interceptions. Derrick Eley had 96 yards receiving on four catches.

East Carolina: At Army next Saturday.

Charlotte: At Tulsa next Saturday.

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