Maryland softball infielder Anna Kufta gathered a ground ball with two outs Saturday, needing only to fire across the diamond to preserve the Terps’ tie with North Carolina entering the third inning.

But she airmailed her throw over fellow infielder Taylor Wilson, allowing a runner to score and setting the Tar Heels up for two more unearned runs that built an early lead they’d only widen.

Kufta’s error was one of six the Terps committed during the Carolina Classic, a major part of their two losses over the weekend. Maryland recognizes the need to clean up its defense if it wants to return to the Big Ten tournament.

“We need to work on being more consistent with our defense, especially when we’re in those close ballgames,” Wilson said. “We’re just going to keep working on the routine for when we get into Big Ten play.”

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

When Kufta overshot Wilson, Tar Heels infielder Campbell Hutcherson came around from first to score the game’s first run, and the first of seven unearned runs charged to Maryland’s pitching staff in the 11-5 loss.

North Carolina tacked on two more in the second via Sami Main’s wild pitch and a solo home run from center fielder Kiani Ramsey.

Main continued to struggle in the third, walking three batters before coach Julie Wright replaced her with Sydney Golden in the circle. Golden walked her first batter, too, before giving up an RBI single to Ramsey. With the next at-bat Kufta committed her second throwing error of the game, allowing two more unearned runs to score.

The Terps’ three fielding errors, coupled with a combined six walks and a wild pitch, kept them from achieving a comeback despite plating five runs in the fourth inning.

“We lost that game because of [our defense],” Wright said.

[Read more: Errors haunt Maryland softball in 11-5 loss to North Carolina]

The three errors tied a season high for the Terps, who had previously reached that mark in losses to Troy and Portland State, as well as to George Washington just the day before the North Carolina game.

The Terps started off the Carolina Classic with a 5-2 loss to the Colonials, in which three walks from pitchers Kiana Carr and Golden exacerbated the defensive miscues.

“I would like to play clean defense, from the first pitch to very last pitch of the tournament,” Wright said, “and I’d like to see our pitchers pitch ahead a little bit more.”

Maryland’s best defensive performance in the tournament, Wright said, was against Florida Atlantic on Friday. But much to the Terps’ dismay, that game didn’t count, as it was ruled a no contest in the bottom of the fifth due to weather conditions.

“Truthfully [the players] handled it better than I did,” Wright said. “You just have to move on. It’s just an unfortunate situation that we couldn’t get two more outs and be done with it.”

Wright’s team closed out the weekend with a staple win over UNC Greensboro. Maryland went to extras, then scored 10 runs in the eighth inning for a 17-9 error-free victory.

While the Terps always work to perfect each aspect of their game, Main said, they can use their errors and miscues to help them grow and continue to learn throughout the season.

“Every girl is pushing every other girl to be clean on defense and be powerful at the bat,” Main said.