The pitching of Micah Bennett and Hayden Ajimine-Dela Cruz helped Honolulu get off to a successful start Sunday at the Little League Junior (13-14) World Series in Taylor, Mich.

Bennett struck out seven over the first 41⁄3 innings and Ajimine-Dela Cruz worked the final 22⁄3 in Honolulu’s 9-0 victory over Lubbock, Texas.

In the first, Iona Uyehara scored from third on a botched pickoff attempt.

Honolulu went up 3-0 in the second on AJ Wida’s squeeze bunt, which scored Kaikea Patoc-Young. Tate Kobashigawa also scored from second on the play after the throw from the Lubbock pitcher went to first base.

In the third, Brennan Tomas scored from third when Uyehara got caught in a rundown after a pickoff attempt.

Honolulu pulled away with five runs in the sixth. Bennett drew a bases-loaded walk and Patoc-Young’s single scored Uyehara with Bennett also coming in on the throw. Wida drew a bases-loaded walk and Noah Chong added an RBI single.

Honolulu will face host Taylor, Mich., today at 8 a.m.