Ole Miss opened its home schedule on a sunny Tuesday afternoon in Oxford, with little fanfare but a result that sent the crowd home happy.

Zach Kirksey belted a three-run homer in the fourth inning, Blake Newalu doubled in two runs in the fifth, and the Rebels kicked off a 12-game homestand with an easy 8-1 victory over Arkansas State.

Preston Overbey had three hits for Ole Miss (2-1), which began the season by splitting a pair of games on the road against TCU over the weekend. Alex Yarbrough and Senquez Golston added two hits apiece.

Five pitchers combined to shut out Arkansas State over the final eight innings. Freshman Sam Smith started, gave up two hits and a run in the top of the first, then didn’t allow another run before leaving at the end of the fourth inning. He got the win.

The Rebels tied the game on an RBI groundout by Yarbrough in the bottom of the third, then took the lead for good on Kirksey’s homer to right field an inning later. Newalu’s double keyed another four-run rally that turned the game into a blowout.

Ole Miss will open a three-game series against UNC-Wilmington on Friday.