Despite reaching the Big Ten tournament last year, Maryland softball stumbled down the stretch.

One major concern during the team’s 10-game losing streak to close the 2018 season was offense. The Terps scored fewer than four runs in six of those losses, and their season batting average plummeted to .235, the third-worst mark in the conference.

To begin 2019, there seemed to be glaring holes in Maryland’s lineup, with the graduation of infielder Skylynne Ellazar and her .325 average, and the transfer of .250 hitter Brigette Nordberg.

But thanks to the arrival of freshman second baseman Taylor Okada and the emergence of junior third baseman Anna Kufta, the Terps haven’t carried last year’s offensive struggles into the new campaign.

“We introduced a little bit different [of a] philosophy that’s really working for us,” coach Julie Wright said. “Right now, they’re feeling good about what they can do offensively, and confidence is always a huge part of anything we do.”

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What Maryland’s capable of doing at the plate became evident in Maryland’s 17-9 win over UNC Greensboro on Sunday to close out the Carolina Classic.

After the Terps fell behind early, a three-run fifth put them back on top. Okada, who’s hit .448 throughout her team’s 10-8 start, led off the frame with a single. And after Kufta walked, first baseman Taylor Wilson clubbed a three-run homer to left field to establish a two-run lead.

“We did some really good things,” Wright said. “Used the whole field and hit with a lot of power.”

[Read more: Maryland softball uses 10-run inning to beat UNC Greensboro, 17-9, in tournament finale]

The Spartans scored two runs in the seventh to force extra innings, but Maryland erupted at the dish.

Seven Terps got hits off pitcher Hannah Stiltner, and Kufta bombed a two-run homer during the 10-run inning. The rout helped mask the nine runs allowed by their pitching staff.

“We had been hitting the ball hard all game, so that’s not a surprise,” Wright said. “You just couldn’t see it on the stats.”

While Okada is a rookie, Kufta and Sammie Stefan both featured heavily last year. But both players hit near .200, struggling to produce on a consistent basis.

Stefan feels she has improved at bat against more challenging pitchers.

“I’m adjusting to the speed of the game,” she said. “Being disciplined and hitting balls that I know I can drive, instead of taking myself out of the at-bats has been a big difference between last year and this year.”

Stefan’s batting average is the team’s third highest, right behind Okada and shortstop Bailey Boyd, who has improved from .209 last season to hit .352 so far this spring. Kufta, with a .333 batting average, leads the team in RBIs and has already surpassed her 18 total RBIs last season.

So, while the vast majority of the season remains, Maryland’s taking heart in its strong showings at the plate so far.

“We’re making sure that we have more quality at-bats. That’s something we’ve been really drilling with our hitters,” Stefan said. “If we do get into two-strike situations, we’re able to follow up on the ball until we find a pitch that we can hit well.”