The friendly confines of Robert E. Taylor Stadium have been kind to the Terrapins softball team this year. It boasts a 14-3 home record, including a current five-game winning streak.

Road trips, such as the one the Terps will take to Raleigh, N.C., today to face N.C. State, have been another story.

The Terps are 1-7 in true road games this year, and they play six more contests away from College Park before the postseason begins.

For a team fighting for postseason position, it looks troubling that two of their final ACC series are on the road. But both those opponents – N.C. State and Boston College – are the conference’s basement-dwellers.

Laura Watten was quick to dismiss the Terps’ road mark. Those games came at a time during which the team was struggling, she said, performing at a level a far cry from what they’ve done in the past five games.

“I don’t think we can judge anything based on what we’ve done before,” the seventh-year coach said, “because I feel like we’re in a whole different place now.”

The Terps (25-17, 3-6 ACC) have seemingly hit their stride at the right time. In the winning streak, the past three were all shutouts by margins of eight, nine and 10 runs.

“That’s what I know about my team,” Watten said. “Once we start to hit, we’re going to keep going.”

The five-inning, 9-0 victory over Howard on Wednesday night was a special one for the Terps. Pitcher Kendra Knight was so dominant that the Lady Bison couldn’t even muster a hit.

But Knight didn’t have long to soak the experience in, as the senior was on the mound again half an hour later for the second game. She twirled five more innings, holding the Lady Bison to a third inning-single and nothing more.

The Terps can credit Knight – whom Watten said “gives us new life” – for their recent resurgence.

But Knight hasn’t been the only one on a tear. Catcher Shannon Bustillos claimed her second ACC Player of the Week honor this season, and she looks primed to make a run at more. The freshman has knocked in 11 runs during the winning streak and is tied for the team lead in home runs with five. She also ranks third in slugging percentage.

Between Knight’s dominance and Bustillos’ emergence, the Terps have discovered a battery that has become the foundation of the squad. It’s one that, when humming on all cylinders like it is now, can keep the team competitive in postseason play.

“Good catchers can make great pitchers,” Watten said. “She’s a great catcher.”

To achieve that elusive postseason success, the Terps must end their road woes. This weekend’s series against the Wolfpack will present a chance for their first win away from College Park since mid-March.

N.C. State (21-26, 3-11) could be the place for the Terps to get on the winning side on the road. The Wolfpack are 11-8 at home, but none of their wins came against teams over .500.

This opportunity is not lost on Watten. After an extended rough stretch, she is reminded of how well the squad opened the year.

“We started out really strong,” Watten said. “And I feel like we’re back.”

benscher@umdbk.com