Navy powers past Pirates

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Navy football used its usual military precision on Saturday afternoon, pitching, pushing and powering past East Carolina in a routine 45-21 Midshipmen win.

The Mids (2-0, 1-0) won their first-ever American Athletic Conference game the same way they have won most of their other games in history. They pounded the Pirates with the triple option that has now proven to be a hex for ECU (1-2, 0-1) in four of the five games between the teams.

Despite surging somewhat in the second half to match an ECU offense that had plenty of chances at more points, the Pirate defense got too late of a start, not getting a stop on Navy until the third quarter.

Before that, it was four touchdowns in…