UTEP sophomore Pamala Baber was announced as Conference USA’s Softball Player of the Week on Monday after a solid weekend during the Miners’ five-game tournament sweep.

Baber is the first UTEP softball player to earn a C-USA recognition since 2016 when Kaitlin Fifield was named pitcher of the week, and Baber is the first hitter of the week since Kawehiokalani Netane’s player of the week honor in 2015.

The outfielder earned a career-high with four RBI’s on a 2-for-2 performance against Idaho State on Feb. 24. Her base-clearing double during the third inning against the Bengals blew the game open as UTEP won 9-0. Baber followed with a career best in hits on a 3-for-4 outing against Portland State to close out the weekend and blasted a two-run bomb over left to put the Miners ahead 8-4 over PSU after being down 4-1 early in the contest.

For the week (six games), Baber finished with a 1.000 slugging percentage with a .632 on-base percentage. Baber hit .647 (11-for-17) with eight runs scored, three doubles, a home run, walk, a sac-fly, sac-bunt and only struck out once in five starts in right field.

Baber produced four multi-hit games during the week that started with a 2-for-4 night against rival New Mexico State on Feb. 20 during the home opener. Baber followed with a 2-for-2 game versus Portland State on Feb. 23, while adding an RBI and run. Baber also tallied a run and RBI against Idaho State on Feb. 23 and two RBI and a pair of runs against Portland State on Feb. 24.

Baber is leading the Miners with a .462 batting average, while ranking in the top 10 in multiple C-USA statistics, including batting average, slugging (.692), on-base percentage (.532), runs (14) and RBI (13).

The Miners (9-7) will travel across the Pacific to play six games at the Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament from March 1-4. UTEP will take on host Hawai’i (March 3 & 4), Cal and Longwood (March 1), James Madison (March 2) and East Carolina (March 4).