Something had to give, eventually.

After surrendering a 3-0 lead in the seventh inning and allowing the University of California, Berkeley to tie the game, the University of Nebraska?s Lisa Wagner finally put the wraps on the 2002 Capitol Classic Softball Tournament and the championship, slapping the game-winning RBI-single in the eighth inning.

The No. 5 ranked Cornhuskers won their second Capitol Classic championship defeating the No. 7 ranked Golden Bears 4-3. The Cornhuskers, who won the title back in 1998, have amassed a 34-20 record during their eight years of participation.

Nebraska completed the four-day event undefeated, sliding through the tournament brackets with an 8-0 record, stretching its program-high winning streak to 19 games. Berkeley, who came into the final fresh off a 9-1 trouncing of the University of Miami (Ohio) in the semifinal, suffered its first loss of the tournament in the final.

The Cornhuskers offense didn?t wait long, leaving a lasting impression on the Golden Bears pitching staff and the scoreboard in the second inning, racing out to a quick 3-0 lead. Nebraska employed the long ball to perfection, connecting on back-to-back-to-back home runs by Leigh Suhr, Peaches James and Amanda Buccholz.

The Golden Bears would exact revenge in the seventh, orchestrating a two-out rally with a little power of their own. After Kristin Morley drew a walk, Candace Harper followed suit with a two-run home run. With the pitching staff reeling and the Golden Bears within one, 3-2, Veronica Nelson connected on a solo shot to knot the game at 3 apiece – -? setting the stage for Wagner’s heroics.

Nebraska?s Leigh Ann Walker picked up the in relief, allowing two hits while pitching the final two innings of the contest.

All-Tournament Selection

Pitcher Nichole Deatherage, who helped guide the Sacramento State softball team into the quarterfinals, was the only Hornet player selected to the 2002 Capitol Classic All-Tournament Team.

For the tournament, Deatherage batted .333 (4-for-12) with three RBI?s. Deatherage was equally as effective on the mound for the Hornets, where she led the squad in appearances with four, working a total of 21.1 innings. The sophomore rounded out the Classic with a 1-0 record, with a complete game, 16 strikeouts and a microscopic ERA of 1.31.

The right-hander from Oak Ridge High School is currently the ace of the Hornet pitching staff, with an overall record of 5-2. She is the only pitcher with a winning record. In just 15 appearances, Deatherage has already recorded six complete games, two shutouts, 30 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.39.