It may be time for the Northwest Conference Softball Pitcher Student-Athlete of the Week award to be named after Tayah Kelley.
 
Linfield's ace secured her fifth NWC Pitcher of the Week honor of the 2023 season and 14^th of her career on Monday. She made three appearances in the circle during a 4-0 week for the seventh-ranked Wildcats, whose second day of action at Puget Sound on Saturday was delayed and later postponed due to inclement weather in the Tacoma area.
 
Kelley played a part in a pair of 4-3 wins over George Fox on Wednesday. She opened the doubleheader with an eight-inning, 10-strikeout performance without walking a single Bruin batter. She tossed two no-hit innings in relief to earn her second save of the season in the nightcap.
 
Primed to repeat as the NWC's Pitcher of the Year, Kelley improved to 17-0 in a six-inning, 9-0 win over the Loggers in Friday's series opener. The hard-throwing righty picked up her fifth shutout of the season, allowing just two hits and finishing with no walks once again. Her 12 Ks marked the sixth double digit outing of her senior campaign.
 
Kelley owns a 1.38 ERA and has held opposing lineups to a .176 batting average. Her 17 wins lead NCAA Division III, and her 142 strikeouts rank third.