LEXINGTON ? After sweeping No. 7 South Carolina and moving into a tie for first place in the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division, the Kentucky baseball team has jumped to its highest ranking in school history at No. 13 in the latest Baseball America poll.

Prior to Monday, UK?s highest ranking came in February 1994 when the Wildcats were 14th according to Baseball America. Before this season, Kentucky had not been ranked since 2000 and had not broken the top 20 since the 1994 campaign.

It is the sixth straight week UK has been ranked after first moving into the Collegiate Baseball poll. Until Monday, the Wildcats best ranking of the year was 19th two weeks ago.

The Wildcats entered the weekend three games back of the Gamecocks in the SEC East, but dropped 37 runs on them to earn the three-game sweep and move into a first-place tie in the division.

During the series, Kentucky pounded out eight home runs and 15 total extra base hits. The Wildcats blew a seven-run lead in game one, but held on to win on John Shelby?s walk-off homer in the 11th.

In game two and three, UK overcame a six-run deficit to win both. Saturday?s game featured a six-run rally in the seventh inning before Ryan Strieby launched a three-run bomb for a 15-12 win. On Sunday, the Wildcats scored 12 runs in the middle innings to come back from down 6-0 and secure the sweep.

Before disposing of Carolina, UK beat rival Louisville on Wednesday to complete a season sweep of the Cards.

The Wildcats host Murray State in a Wednesday doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. before traveling to No. 21 Vanderbilt for a three-game set this weekend. The Commodores are one game back of UK in the SEC East race.