Despite the team’s four errors, senior catcher Eric Roof said there has been no hangover effect from clinching MSU’s first Big Ten Tournament berth since 2004 on Saturday. The Spartans have lost both of their games following the berth.

“We were really excited obviously to clinch — I mean we haven’t been there in five years, so it was exciting,” said Roof, who hit his fifth home run of the year. “But I don’t think there was any effect (Sunday) or (Monday) with the hangover, or not coming ready to play. I think every guy was ready to play, Purdue just outplayed us the last two games.”

Boss, however, said the tournament bid could have had a cooling effect on the team.

“I certainly hope we didn’t take our foot off the gas,” he said. “I told them after today that it is an important thing for this team to clinch a spot in the tournament. It is a place we haven’t been in a long time and it’s significant. But, at the same time, if we take the same effort and attitude in the dugout that we have had the past two days into the Big Ten Tournament, we aren’t going to be there very long.”

Freshman right-handed pitcher Tony Bucciferro was able to stick around for a majority of Monday’s game, working six innings while striking out seven and allowing two earned runs — but six unearned runs.

With MSU already trailing 3-1, Bucciferro was an out away from escaping the fifth inning when junior second baseman Chris Roberts committed an error, one of the team’s four for the day. Purdue responded with four straight hits to bring in four runs, all unearned.

Still, senior right-handed relief pitcher A.J. Dunn — who threw two innings and allowed an unearned run — said MSU has confidence in Bucciferro, who has rotation-best 3.08 ERA.

“He’s so good that even when we make an error he usually can pick up the fielder, get the next guy,” Dunn said. “He did fine. He gave us a chance. You can’t really ask for more from a guy that gave us seven K’s and two earned runs.”

Two unearned runs were also scored in the second and sixth innings as a result of two errors from junior right fielder Eli Boike. Another runner was able to advance home on a fielding error by sophomore center fielder Brandon Eckerle in the seventh inning.

“This is something we talked about before the game with the pitching coach — you know as a pitcher, control what you can control, but you definitely can’t control the guys behind you,” Dunn said.

“And as a pitcher, I don’t know necessarily if I get frustrated. I just look at that as an opportunity to come up and get the next guy and get out of there without letting that run score. No one feels worse than the fielder that made the error.”

MSU received offensive contributions from Eric Roof’s home run, and junior second baseman Chris Roberts and sophomore shortstop Jonathan Roof both drove in a run.