NEW ORLEANS, La. — For the first time in school history, the Texas State University softball program picked up both of the Sun Belt Conference weekly awards in the same week as ArieAnn Bell was named Player of the Week while Dalilah Barrera earned Pitcher of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday afternoon.

Barrera, who started in the pitching circle for Texas State during its 16-0 win at Georgia State on Friday, March 6, tossed a six-inning complete-game shutout, while striking out 12 batters. The Panthers lone hit came with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Barrera's 12 strikeouts were one shy of her season-high 13 against South Alabama in the Bobcats' season-opening win.

Bell, who started and played in right field in all four games last week, led the team — batters with 5-or-more official plate appearances — with a .625 batting average to go along with a .786 on-base percentage and 1.500 slugging percentage. Her six runs scored, and six walks were outright team leads, while her two home runs, two stolen bases and 12 total bases were tied for the team's top spot.

Barrera is the first Texas State pitcher to earn the award since Meagan King picked up the honor on March 26, 2019. Bell is the Bobcats' first player to pick up the player of the week honor since Christiana McDowell on April 23, 2019. Since joining the Sun Belt Conference prior to the 2014 season, Texas State had picked up player or pitcher of the week honors in back-to-back weeks on nine occasions, including back-to-back-to-back weeks twice, but never taken both awards in the same week.

The last time Texas State won both player and pitcher of the week awards in the same week was March 20, 2006 when Katie Ann Trahan earned both honors by herself while the Bobcats were members of the Southland Conference.  

Bell, Barrera and the rest of the Texas State University softball team will return to action on Wednesday, March 11 when the Bobcats travel to College Station to play Texas A&M at 6 p.m. CT.