WAILUKU — The Maui High School baseball team was playing its fourth Maui Interscholastic League game after a full preseason schedule yesterday. Moloka'i was playing its first league game after a couple of scrimmages.

The difference was clear at Maehara Stadium as the Sabers (4-0) jumped on the Farmers (0-1) with eight first-inning runs on the way to a 14-0, five-inning win.

Maui junior left-hander Peter Ibanez outdueled Molokai's hard-throwing Scottie Rapanot Jr. on the mound. Ibanez allowed just two hits, struck out four, walked two and faced just 17 batters. His defense helped, too, with a 6-4-3 double play in the first and catcher Jordan Inamasu gunning down Kamoana Puaa-Spencer, who was trying to steal after a walk in the third.

Inamasu showed off his cannon arm after Ibanez's pitch bounced wide to catch Puaa-Spencer easily. Those two defensive gems allowed Ibanez to face the minimum 14 batters through two outs in the fifth before Collien Hirashima got a hit and Puaa-Spencer walked.

''That big lead really helped,'' Ibanez said to The Maui News. ''I expected a little bit more from Molokai. I was jamming them a little bit, but when I missed my defense backed me up.''

Maui coach Lee Yonamine said his pitcher was on the mark.

''Peter pitched pretty good, but he had an eight-run lead before he went out there, so it was easier for him,'' Yonamine said. ''It is easier to pitch with that kind of support, but he did a good job of keeping them off balance.''

Yonamine said he expected the Farmers to play better and thinks they will as they get their feet under them.

''They are always a little bit of an unknown factor, but they have players that are going to make them better than that,'' he said.

Farmers head coach Clarence Loo, and his assistant and son, Milton Loo — the former Moloka'i standout shortstop who was a junior college All-American at Yavapai (Ariz.) Junior College and a 2005 ninth-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Reds — didn't take over the program ''until three or four days before it was going to fold,'' the elder Loo said.

''This is a new thing for us, new coaching staff, a lot of new players — we only have four returnees — it was just a last-minute thing, so it is going to take us a little while,'' Clarence Loo said. ''But give Maui High credit. They came out banging from the beginning.''

The Sabers sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning. Lead-off hitter Mitchell Crim walked, stole second and scored his first time up, and tripled in a run and eventually scored his second time up in the first frame. Travis Manuel and Ibanez both had doubles in the big first frame, while Teven Masulit-Devera, Jordan Inamasu, Jesse Miyazono and Jordan Jim-Keene all had singles.

Rapanot did not get the help from his defense that Ibanez did as seven of the runs scored after two outs. The Farmers committed four errors in the game.

''Scottie throws hard, but his defense hurt him a little bit today,'' Yonamine said.

Masulit-Devera, Manuel, and Miyazono all finished with two hits, while Manuel and Ibanez each had two RBIs.

''Our bats really came alive, especially in the first inning,'' Yonamine said. ''I certainly did not expect it to be like this today. Moloka'i is going to be better. I'm just glad we caught them early.''

The Division I Sabers moved to within a half-game of Baldwin and will take the weekend off, while the Division II Farmers must come back for a 6 p.m. game today against Lahainaluna (0-4).

With two spots to the Division II state tournament available to the MIL, Moloka'i has a shot at one of them with defending league champion St. Anthony.

''We are getting there and we are having fun,'' Clarence Loo said. ''We know the state tournament is a possibility if we figure everything out.''

Moloka'i 000 00— 0 2 4

Maui 813 2x— 14 11 0

Scottie Rapanot Jr., Kahekili Pa-Kala (5) and Kamoana Puaa-Spencer; Peter Ibanez and Jordan Inamasu. W—Ibanez. L—Rapanot.

2B—Maui, Ibanez, Travis Manuel. 3B—Maui, Mitchell Crim, Justin Pontanilla.

KAMEHAMEHA-MAUI 14, KING KEKAULIKE 4

Isaiah Kaneakua struck out 11 batters as the Kamehameha-Maui defeated King Kekaulike, 14-4 in six innings, in a Maui Interscholastic League game last night at Maehara Stadium.

Kaneakua went 4-for-5 with a triple, and Jordan Camara, Naea Kalehuawehe and Mason Castillon each had doubles for the Warriors (2-0).

Kealii Ribao took the loss for Na Ali'i (0-3).

For more Maui news, visit www.mauinews.com