Maya Nakamura’s first hit of 2021 was certainly one to remember.

The Hawaii freshman launched a go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Rainbow Wahine held off a UC Santa Barbara rally in the seventh to open the Big West schedule with a 4-3 win in the first game of UH’s doubleheader sweep on Friday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

“In my at-bats before that I wasn’t seeing the ball well,” said Nakamura, who was 0-for-8 this season prior to her blast to left field. “In that at-bat I just told myself, ‘runners on, find pitch you can drive,’ and I found a pitch.”

In the second game, UH senior Bree Soma sparked the Wahine (2-3, 2-0 Big West) with a three-run shot in the bottom of the second inning and junior Nawai Kaupe added a two-run homer in the fifth on the way to a 7-3 victory over the Gauchos (3-15, 0-2).

Jetta Nannen (1-2) went 6 1/3 innings and earned the win in the opener, while left-hander Emily Klee held off UCSB’s seventh-inning rally to pick up a save. Junior Ashley Murphy (1-1) struck out two and worked around nine hits to go the distance in the second game.

The series concludes with another doubleheader today starting at 2 p.m. The first game will count in the Big West standings, while the finale will be considered a nonconference game.

Coming off three lopsided losses to nationally ranked Washington two weeks ago, the Wahine spent much of the past two weeks indoors, moving their practices into Klum Gym as rain drenched the Manoa campus.

They weathered sometimes blustery conditions on Friday and rode the long ball to two wins on the opening night of Big West play.

“I think it was a blessing to be inside all that time rather than grinding it out out here,” UH coach Bob Coolen said, “We got some good practices in and a lot of sweat equity and it was good.”

Back on the field on Friday, Coolen had to sweat out a tight opening game with the Gauchos.

UCSB loaded the bases with two out in the top of the third and took a 2-0 lead when Teah Thies was hit by a pitch and Sam Denehy drew a four-pitch walk.

UH answered in the bottom of the inning on Angelique Ramos’ single down the third-base line to score Brittnee Rossi, who tripled with two out in the inning.

The Gauchos protected the lead into the sixth, but bobbles in the infield allowed Ramos and Nawai Kaupe to reach base to lead off the inning. After a flyout to center, Nakamura turned on a 1-1 pitch and sent it over the left-center fence to give UH its first lead of the day.

“Honestly, I don’t go up there looking to hit home runs, so when I hit it my initial reaction was I thought it was a flyball,” said the Roosevelt graduate, who hit two homers last year before her first try at a freshman season was canceled. “I think the wind helped out a little, and when I saw it go over I was like, ‘OK I’ll take it.’”

UCSB strung together four hits in the top of the seventh and closed to within a run on Maci Fines’ RBI single. The Gauchos loaded the bases and Denehy’s smash to third initially popped out of Ramos’ glove, but she snagged it and threw to the plate for a forceout. Klee then got Korie Thomas to pop out to Kaupe at shortstop to end the game.

Soma, the ninth-place hitter in the UH lineup, carried the momentum into the second game when she worked a full count then sent a pitch sailing over the left-field fence for an opposite-field shot.

“She’s been capable of doing that her whole career, and now she’s feeling it,” Coolen said.

Kaupe’s second homer of the season stretched the lead to 6-0. UCSB broke up the shutout with a three-run seventh before Murphy finished off her first win of the season.