OXFORD | Ole Miss put up four big offensive innings and withstood a wild top of the eighth to beat Auburn, 19-11, and sweep the series to begin Southeastern Conference action.

The Rebels had innings with seven runs, three runs, four runs to build a 14-0 lead and a five-run bottom of the eighth after the Tigers scored nine runs in the top half of the inning.

Ole Miss was six outs away from its largest SEC win since 1995 but settled for its first SEC sweep in week one of league play since taking all three from Vanderbilt to start the 2004 conference schedule. The Rebels have won 12 straight games over Auburn (11-8, 0-3) in Oxford, sweeping series in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2021.

The Rebels (16-4, 3-0) host Central Arkansas on Tuesday and travel to Alabama Thursday to Saturday.

Here are the takeaways that matter moving forward following Ole Miss' successful weekend.

Weekend starter Doug Nikhazy missed two weeks with a muscle strain in his chest, but he's expected to return this week and pitch game two versus Alabama. Nikhazy performed flat ground work on Sunday and felt no discomfort. He'll slide into the rotation between Gunnar Hoglund and Derek Diamond.

Nikhazy last pitched on March 5 against Belmont, giving up two hits and one run with 10 strikeouts and two walks.

Reliever Max Cioffi had meniscus surgery two weeks ago and will throw a bullpen on Tuesday to see if he will be active this weekend. Cioffi hasn't pitched since the opening weekend in Arlington but threw flat ground Sunday and "looked normal," Mike Bianco said.

The Rebels are also expected to get another one its pitchers back from COVID protocol on Monday. Bianco can't specify who the player is because of privacy rules.

Auburn entered the series hitting an SEC-best .339 against right-handed pitching on the season, and Ole Miss trotted out three right-handers due to Nikhazy's absence.

It didn't matter.

Hoglund, Drew McDaniel -- who should be extremely valuable as a high-leverage reliever or long reliever in league play -- and Diamond combined to hold the Tigers to two runs in 19 innings. The trio struck out 26 and walked two.

Hoglund dominated the Tigers with 13 strikeouts in eight shutout innings and seemed destined for SEC Pitcher of the Week honors before Vandy's Jack Leiter threw a no-hitter on Saturday. McDaniel show increased maturity each time out and gave up just two runs in five innings.

Diamond matched his season long with six innings and didn't allow a run.

True freshmen Calvin Harris and TJ McCants got extended playing time this weekend, and both showed a lot of worth and promise in a lineup that has spots available.

Harris hit a pinch-hit two-strike home run on Friday, the one run in the 1-0 Ole Miss victory. It was an excellent at-bat as he fouled off a good pitch with two strikes and put one over the right-field wall. But beyond that, he was good all weekend.

The Iowa native had three RBIs on Saturday, accounting for half of the Rebels' six runs, and on Sunday he hit an early sacrifice fly and also scored after a walk. He can't play a position yet because of offseason UCL surgery, but the catcher has the ability to play other spots and can DH without issue.

Bianco isn't bashful about moving infielders to the outfield, and McCants may have found a home in center. His reactions and jumps are good, especially considering the inexperience, and it allows Justin Bench and others to move around as needed.

McCants, the No. 139 prospect out of high school, is a 6.5-6.6 runner in the 60-yard dash. He has a hit in four straight games and hit a double and a home run Sunday against the Tigers. He's hitting .303 (fifth best on the team) and has an OPS of .924 (sixth best) in a still small sample of 41 plate appearances. He's also walked eight times.

McCants and Harris both hit left-handed, creating a sizable imbalance in the lineup with six of the nine hitting from that side, but, right now, for Ole Miss, it's about the top performing options getting innings.

Alabama ace and preseason All-SEC First Team left-hander Connor Prielipp hasn't pitched since the opening week of the season, and coach Brad Bohannon said last week Prielipp will be out "at least a couple more weeks."

The Tide hasn't elaborated on Prielipp's situation beyond calling it a medical condition.

“It’s just been slower than we thought initially,” Bohannon said.

Prielipp threw five shutout innings and 74 pitches with eight strikeouts and no walks against McNeese on opening day before Alabama shut him down.

He hasn't allowed a run in 26 career innings and has 43 strikeouts.

Alabama beat Arkansas on Friday but lost Saturday and Sunday in Fayetteville.

SEC West

Ole Miss - 3-0

MSU - 2-1

Arkansas - 2-1

LSU - 1-2

Alabama - 1-2

Texas A&M - 0-3

Auburn - 0-3

SEC East

Florida - 3-0

Tennessee - 2-1

Kentucky - 2-1

Vanderbilt - 2-1

South Carolina -1-2

Georgia - 1-2

Missouri - 1-2