Originally published Monday, May 19, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Houston ends UW's NCAA softball season

Haley Valis hit a solo home run to lead No. 11 Houston to a 2-1 victory over No. 24 Washington in the championship game of the NCAA softball...

From team reports

HOUSTON — Haley Valis hit a solo home run to lead No. 11 Houston to a 2-1 victory over No. 24 Washington in the championship game of the NCAA softball Houston Regional on Sunday afternoon.

The Cougars advance to an NCAA Super Regional for the first time in school history.

Washington finishes its season at 30-25-1, picking up 30 wins for the 15th consecutive season.

Angel Shamblin (35-3) went the distance for Houston, giving up just two hits, one earned run and three walks while striking out seven.

Valis put the Cougars on the scoreboard in the fifth inning with a solo shot to center field with one out and the count full.

The Huskies had a chance to break through in the sixth inning after Amanda Fleischman led off with a bloop double to left field. But she was stranded there after Shamblin got three consecutive outs.

Houston (53-9) extended its lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth. Katie Bush reached on a one-out single and stole second. Aleah Macon, who had come on to pitch for the Huskies, then walked three consecutive batters to bring in Bush.

Caitlin Noble, who started and pitched the first five innings, replaced Macon and induced a ground out and strikeout to keep the score at 2-0.

Washington finally cut into Houston's lead in the seventh inning on Morgan Stuart's solo home run to center field.

Shamblin got back-to-back ground outs to end the game.

Noble, the Huskies' only senior, pitched well enough to win for Washington, scattering three hits over 5-2/3 innings. She struck out seven and didn't allow a walk but fell to 13-9 in her final game for the Huskies.

Her seven strikeouts moved her career total to 757, which moved her up one spot to No. 4 all-time at UW.

The Huskies are 16-9 in the postseason under coach Heather Tarr.

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