They needed help but the Drake softball team did qualify for the Missouri Valley Conference tournament later this week in Omaha. The Bulldogs lost at Indiana State 1-0 to close the regular season but backed into the tournament when Creighton beat Bradley 4-3.

Drake coach Rich Calvert says the bottom line is to get to the tournament, and he says that’s more than some other teams can says.

Calver was glad luck was on their side. He says there were a lot of breaks go against them all year, from a hit to umpire’s decisions, to injuries.

The Bulldogs are the fifth seed and will play Wichita State in the opening round of a tournament that Calvert feels is wide open. He says the six teams that’re in the tournament are all capable of beating up on each other.

Calvert says it comes down to who has the best pitching and who gets the final hit. It is the third straight year Drake has qualified for the post season tournament.