Optimism increased with each passing weekend as the Terrapins softball team raced out of the gate to a 10-2 start, on the cusp of a spot in the top 25.

That outlook dimmed after a trying weekend in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The Terps won just one of five games. Their lone win came against Alabama-Birmingham, and they dropped two games each to Massachusetts and No. 2 Alabama. Three of those losses came by eight runs or more, including an 18-run shellacking at the hands of the Crimson Tide.

“It’s one of the toughest weekends I’ve had in my career, as far as scores and being able to keep things under control,” coach Laura Watten said. “I feel like we were just out of sync all weekend.”

The pitching staff, which had guided the Terps to their previous 10 wins, was ineffective for much of the weekend. Senior Kendra Knight had been one of the ACC’s best hurlers this season, but she recorded just one out while giving up eight earned runs in a 19-1 loss to the Tide. Knight, who went 1-2 on the weekend, struggled with her command and issued 11 walks in her complete-game win over the Blazers.

“Kendra’s a senior; she’s had experience going through bumps in the road,” Watten said. “It was a tough weekend for all of us.”

Freshman Kaitlyn Schmeiser wasn’t much better, giving up seven earned runs in the opening game, a loss to the Minutewomen. Junior Lexi Carroll started her first game of the season in yesterday’s 4-1 loss to Massachussetts.

The team’s offense was nullified all weekend. After a five-run first inning in the opening game, the Terps only scored eight runs for the rest of the weekend — partially due to the Crimson Tide’s dominant pitching.

“They’re just consistent. … They execute, and they have good pitching,” Watten said. “They’ve got pretty much everything, and they don’t slow down.”

With each passing win, the expectations mounted for an improving Terps program. For one weekend, those expectations were too much for the team to handle.

“It’s a two-way sword,” Watten said. “We put those expectations on ourselves and then feel the pressure. You can’t be successful when you do that.”

benscher@umdbk.com