Anyone who's ever faced her can attest to how hard she throws, but University of South Alabama senior softball pitcher Farish Beard wants to be remembered for how hard she works.
 
Entering her final season in the circle for the Jaguars, Beard, the program's record holder in lowest earned run average, lowest opposing batting average and most strikeouts per game, claims she's worked harder this offseason than ever before after being faced with the reality that her days are numbered.
 
"Every day this summer I worked harder than I have in my entire time here. It really hit me after our last game last season that this would be my last year and my last opportunity to prove who I am and what I want from this team. I'm doing the best I can right now, so that it comes easy in the spring."
 
On several occasions last season, Beard did make it look easy, the Fairhope, Ala., native going to 22-7 on the year to raise her career win-loss total to a stellar 52-9. In addition to being a top-25 finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region recipient for the second year in a row and a Sun Belt Conference first-teamer, Beard's ERA was tops in the NCAA for three weeks, which helped the Jaguars finish with the nation's best ratio in the category, a 1.29.
 
"That was really cool," Beard said of the statistical title, the first in Jaguar program history in any category. "During the season, you don't look at that kind of stuff. You know, obviously that you don't give up that many runs, but to have the lowest ERA in the nation is pretty insane. We worked really hard for that."
 
Beard's counterpart, then-senior Hannah Campbell, signed with National Pro Fastpitch's Akron Racers last May after going 18-6 with a 0.95 ERA. The four-year starter from Satsuma, Ala., believes Beard has the tools to take over the reins.
 
"Farish definitely leads by example," Campbell explained. "She absolutely works her tail off. That will be the first thing, I think, that newcomers will notice. One thing I think she learned from me is how to lock in when she steps into the bullpen. That really contributed to her competitive edge."
 
Beard said, "Filling Hannah's shoes is going to be a big job, but I feel like I'm up for it. I looked at the way Hannah did things last year, knowing that it would be my turn soon, and she did things the right way. Having her as a role model will make my job easier, because I know how it should be done."
 
USA head coach Becky Clark attributes Beard's potential for leadership this year to a passion for the Jaguar program.
 
"From a leadership standpoint I think she genuinely cares about the program and about her team," Clark explained. "She expects a lot out of herself and, in turn, expects a lot out of those around her. To me, that's what makes a leader; someone who cares about the group more than themselves and is willing to work hard and sacrifice for the group."
 
And how does she do it?
 
"When you look at the success Farish has had over the past three years, I think it is important to understand how hard she has worked to get those results," added Clark. "One of her biggest assets had been her work ethic; she has put in the extra time in the off-season and over the summer. She works hard to put herself in a position to be successful and holds herself to a very high standard."
 
The ability of Beard and Campbell to share the load last season kept them fresh, even though the pair would pitch 357 of the 378 ? total innings in 2014, but Beard has no fear of being overworked in the upcoming season, claiming that this year's staff is a competitive one, with Kaleigh Floore and Holly McKinnon returning, plus the addition of freshmen Devin Brown and Kalen McGill.
 
"I think we'll have a good staff this year," Beard remarked. "It will be different. In years past, we've known what we're going to get out of the pitching staff. There are five of us this year, including two freshmen, so it's kind of up in the air, but we're talented, and we all want to get the job done."
 
Asked if she's feeling any pressure for time from her fellow pitchers, Beard said, "Everybody is stepping up and trying to prove that they're the best, but with me, there's always competition. I am competitive with everything."