FOREST GROVE, Ore.—Lewis & Clark College softball placed four student-athletes on the 2023 Northwest Conference All-Conference Team, the NWC league office announced on Thursday afternoon. 
 
Junior Mari Alvarez was named to the NWC First Team. Sophomore Riley Anderson and freshman Lainey Honma carved out spots on the NWC Second Team and senior Kalea Kaui earned a spot on the NWC Honorable Mention Team. 
 
With their four honorees, Lewis & Clark softball has now had at least four All-Conference selections in four-consecutive years. Mari Alvarez earns her third-consecutive All-Conference accolades, while Anderson, Honma and Kaui are all first-time award-winners. 
 
After being named to the NWC Honorable Mention Team in her first two seasons, Alvarez was chosen for the NWC First Team as the sole Designated Player on the NWC First Team. She put together the best season of her career in almost every statistical category this spring. The junior led the Pioneers with her .481 on-base percentage (8^th in the NWC), 11 doubles (t-15^th in the NWC), 13 walks and 11 hit by pitches (2^nd in the NWC). She finished in the top three on the team in batting average (.370), hits (40), runs (23), RBI (21), home runs (six), total bases (71), and slugging percentage (.657). She also led all regulars on the team with just seven strikeouts in 108 at-bats (1 out of every 15.4 at-bats). 
 
In 37 starts this year, she hit safely in 28 contests and reached base safely in 33 games. Alvarez posted multiple hit games 10 times, including a three-hit game against Pacific Lutheran in game two on March 27. She added four multiple-RBI games including four against Warner Pacific University on March 29. Alvarez tied the single-season program record with 11 hit by pitches and finished one double shy of tying the program record for doubles in a single-season (11). Alvarez goes into her senior season with a .363 batting average in 96 games. She has racked up 105 hits, 58 runs scored, 55 RBI and 36 extra-base hits (11 home runs). 
 
Anderson put together a career season to earn her first career All-Conference honors. The sophomore first baseman set the single-season program record for runs batted in (52) and total bases (99) and finished with the second-most home runs in a single year (13). She led the Pioneers in several other statistical categories including: batting average (.409), hits (47), runs (30) and triples (two). She also finished second in doubles (nine), walks (12) and stolen bases (11-11). She placed third in the NWC in RBI (52), sixth in total bases (99) and fourth in home runs (13). Anderson hit safely in 27 games and posted multiple base knocks 14 times. She racked up multiple RBI in a game 13 times and three or more RBI eight times. Anderson put together her best doubleheader of the season against Occidental College on February 19. The sophomore went 4-7 with four runs, eight RBI and a pair of home runs. 
 
Honma earns her first career All-Conference honors after carving out a role as the Pioneers leadoff hitter and starting center fielder. After not playing in fall ball because she was on the women's soccer team, Honma made her collegiate debut in game two of the softball season and then forced her way into the starting lineup in game three and never left until a season-ending injury. In 26 appearances (25 starts), Honma led the team in stolen bases (12-15) and finished second with a .403 batting average. She also registered 23 runs, five doubles, one home run, seven RBI, eight walks and three hit by pitches. She hit safely in 20 contests and had eight multiple hit games. In addition to her impact at the plate, Honma posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and posted seven outfield assists. 
 
Kaui closes out her career with her first career All-Conference award. The Pioneers senior shortstop served as one of the Pioneers top bats and their everyday shortstop, while starting in all 38 games this season. She posted career-highs in every statistical category and doubled her production in several key categories. She hit .320 with 33 hits, 21 runs, 24 RBI (second on the team), seven doubles, three homers, 49 total bases (third), 11 walks and pitched in seven stolen bases (7-10). Defensively, Kaui finished second on the team in assist (61) and third in putouts (65). Her .947 fielding percentage was the second-best of her collegiate career. Kaui hit safely in 22 contests and notched multiple hits 11 times. She enjoyed one of the best game of her senior campaign on Senior Day, when she went 2-4 with two runs, three RBI and a double in an 11-8 win over Willamette University.