This seems quite familiar, doesn’t it? A young, pitching and hitting prodigy from Japan oozes talent and charisma, if not quite complete mastery of the English language yet.

From first impressions, Itsuki Takemoto ain’t some gimmick.

On Saturday at The Les, the true freshman took the first step toward proving to University of Hawaii baseball fans that he isn’t some trendy novelty, or a cheap knockoff of Shohei Ohtani.

Takemoto definitely appeared to be the real thing in his Rainbow Warriors debut. He was poised and in command, blanking Ole Miss and preserving UH’s first win of the season. Presumably, we’ll see what the 6-foot-4, 200-pound true freshman can do from the plate sometime soon.

Takemoto — with documentary film crew in tow — pitched three innings of scoreless relief as UH earned a split of its doubleheader with 2022 national champion Ole Miss. He only looked like a freshman afterward, jumping around, smiling and celebrating with teammates.

The Rainbows dominated the Rebels, 9-1, with a great start on the mound from another true freshman, Isaiah Magdaleno, from North Hills, Calif.

Magdaleno made Ole Miss miss a lot, striking out five while holding the Rebels hitless through the first four innings.

But then they finally broke through in the fifth, scoring a run and creating what used to be called a jam. Now, it’s known as a high-leverage situation.

When games are shortened to seven innings — like they were in Saturday’s doubleheader — these situations come about sooner. Coaches don’t talk about what inning they’re in, they count how many outs are left.

UH had led 5-0, but now Ole Miss had the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, with nobody out in the fifth inning. Wait, pardon me, I mean, with nine outs left.

You don’t use middle relievers in this kind of game — especially when you played 13 innings the night before, and seven in the first game of the doubleheader. UH lost both of those games, 5-4 and 5-2.

So, Magdaleno left to a well-deserved ovation, and Takemoto jogged in to make his Rainbows debut. Throwing mostly well-located fastballs and with help from veteran catcher DallasJ Duarte to keep him calm, Takemoto got UH out of the fifth with no further damage.

All he really had to do was get the ’Bows off the field still holding the lead.

He did much better than that.

Facing the first three batters in the Rebels lineup, Takemoto induced a groundout to Stone Miyao at second between two strikeouts.

Then, in Hawaii’s half of the inning, Kyson Donahue launched a slider over the fence in right for a three-run homer, highlighting a four-run rally in which Duarte also contributed a run-scoring double.

“Thank you Kyson,” Takemoto said, repeatedly, with a huge grin. “I was nervous when I first came in, but after that I could relax, just throw strikes.”

In his three innings, Takemoto yielded just a harmless single and a walk. He struck out six.

Mississippi spent last season rebuilding after its 2022 College World Series championship, and finished 25-29 overall. But we’re still talking a big-time program, one that went 19-5 last year outside of the brutally competitive SEC.

The Rebels are loaded with power pitchers and power hitters.

Andrew Fischer launched a shot over the fence at the deepest part of the stadium, just to the right of the 385-foot sign, and left of the rendering of Les Murakami. It was one of two Ole Miss homers in its 5-2 win in Saturday’s first game.

Friday night, the visitors paraded an endless supply of flame throwers to the mound in their 5-4, 13-inning win.

But UH shook off those two disappointments, with contributions from throughout the lineup. Every starter reached base at least once via hit or walk — which is especially impressive when you consider Hawaii batted in just six innings.

It seems like nearly all of UH’s position players and most of its pitchers have been around forever (or at least since coach Rich Hill arrived two years ago). They’re not intimidated by anyone.

“Playing these guys is like playing an intrasquad game for us,” said Duarte, meaning it as a compliment.

There’s no reason to think what Magdaleno and Takemoto did Saturday is a fluke, and that’s exciting. But they’re freshmen, so we’ll see.