Members of the Case Western Reserve University softball team won both the University Athletic Association Pitcher and Hitter of the Week honors based on their performance last weekend. First-year pitcher Josephine Alspaw was named the UAA Pitcher of the Week, and first-year infielder Natalie Ching received UAA Hitter of the Week honors.
Alspaw earned the win in all three of her appearances for the Spartans during the team's three-game sweep of New York University in the Bronx, New York, on Friday and Saturday. She tossed 11 innings for CWRU, all in relief, allowing just two earned runs for a 1.27 earned run average and striking out 16 batters. She conceded just seven hits over the weekend, limiting opponents to a .189 batting average. In the series opener, Alspaw entered a tie game with one out and a runner in scoring position in the sixth inning. She retired the two batters she faced in the frame and set down the side in order in the seventh, with a pair of strikeouts, to secure the win. Later that night, she threw six innings of one-run ball, striking out a career-high 10 batters to earn the win in an eight-inning victory. On Saturday in the series finale, Alspaw allowed just one run on two hits in three and a third innings with three strikeouts in a 15-5 Spartan win.
This season, Alspaw is 6-2 with three saves in the circle, allowing a 3.10 ERA across 52 innings with 61 strikeouts. This is her first career UAA Pitcher of the Week honor.
Ching led the Spartan offense during the team's three-game sweep of New York University. She went six-for-11 (.545) at the plate with a .643 on-base percentage and .636 slugging percentage in the series. She scored four times, drove in three runs, walked three times, and stole a pair of bases. Ching crossed the plate all three times during the team's 3-2 win in the series opener, going one-for-two with a pair of walks and a steal. Later that night, she went three-for-five with a double and two RBI in a 10-6 victory. In the series finale, Ching had a pair of hits, scored a run, drove in a run, and walked once in a 15-5 win.
This season, she is hitting .310 with 14 runs scored, starting every game of the season for CWRU. This is her first career UAA Hitter of the Week honor.
With the sweep, the Spartan softball team improved to 18-9 overall and 6-3 in league contests. CWRU will travel to Chicago for their next UAA series, facing the University of Chicago for a three-game set starting on Friday, April 17 at 4 p.m. ET.
The following CWRU Athletes have been named the UAA Athlete of the Week during the 2025-26 academic year
Apr. 13: Josephine Alspaw (Softball – Pitcher), Natalie Ching (Softball – Hitter)
Apr. 6: Gianna Phipps (Women's Track), Karen Potts (Softball – Hitter)
Mar. 23: Calvin Gelle (Baseball - Hitter), Ayla Grabenbauer (Women's Track), Camryn Mclelland (Softball - Pitcher)
Mar. 16: Tyler Stillson (Baseball - Pitcher), Devanghi Misra (Softball - Pitcher), Rowan Matorin (Men's Tennis)
Mar. 2: Emily Plachta (Women's Basketball), Tyler Stillson (Baseball - Pitcher)
Feb. 23: Ethan Edwards (Men's Basketball), Claire Kozma (Women's Swimming), Tyler Stillson (Baseball - Hitter)
Feb. 16: Hannah Kassaie (Women's Tennis), Art Martinez (Wrestling), Bryce Ware (Men's Tennis)
Feb. 9: Maura Schorr (Women's Basketball), Thomas Wagner (Wrestling)
Feb. 2: Hunter Keane (Wrestling), Jack Rudofsky (Men's Diving)
Jan. 26: Ryan Wells (Men's Diving)
Jan. 20: Thomas Wagner (Wrestling)
Jan. 5: Art Martinez (Wrestling)
Dec. 15: Matthew Ellis (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 8: Art Martinez (Wrestling)
Nov. 24: Art Martinez (Wrestling)
Nov. 3: Ryan Wells (Men's Diving)
Oct. 27: Ellie Palaian (Women's Soccer - Defense), Bradley Winter (Men's Soccer - Defense)
Oct. 13: Kalli Wall (Volleyball), Claire Kozma (Women's Swimming)
Sep. 22: Ellie Palaian (Women's Soccer - Defense), Jacob Slater (Men's Cross Country)
Sep. 8: Maggie Farra (Women's Soccer - Offense), Phillip Washington (Men's Soccer - Defense), Katie Wong (Women's Tennis)
Sep. 2: Jamie Goldfarb (Women's Soccer - Offense), Jacob Slater (Men's Cross Country)
