DANVERS — It’s always been a dream of St. John’s Prep pitcher Eddie Hardiman’s to play college baseball. Last week, that dream turned into a reality.
Hardiman, a senior left-hander, officially committed to continue his baseball career at Division III Salve Regina in Newport, R.I.
“My family used to go on vacations there every now and then,” said Hardiman, a Danvers native. “I always knew it was there, but I didn’t think too much of it. Baseball became a little bit more of a reality for me this year. I went down and met Coach (Eric) Cirella. He’s a great guy. It’s a great area. What’s not to like when you get down there?
“At the end of the day it felt right after accepted students’ day. I sat in on a couple classes. Being able to continue playing baseball, that’s always been a dream of mine. That sort of outweighed everything else.”
Eagles coach Dan Letarte believes Hardiman can jump in and contribute at Salve Regina.
“Eddie’s always improving,” Letarte said. “We’re looking forward to him having a good season. He’ll definitely help the Salve Regina pitching staff. He’s a great teammate and he’s a great kid to coach.
“He has a very good, tailing fastball. He has a good curve and a developing change-up that’s going to be his best pitch. He keeps hitters off balance and gets outs. He’s physically getting stronger and that helps his mechanics. He’s been working out with the strength training staff and he’s really been working hard.”
Hardiman also considered attending Boston College, Providence, Auburn and Ursinus. Hoping to find a school where he could play baseball, it came down to Ursinus and Salve Regina. Salve Regina emerged as the best fit.
“At the end of the day, baseball was up there with the academics,” said Hardiman, who plans to major in journalism. “I talked with Coach Letarte. I talked with some of the members of my family who went to Boston College. At the end of the day, Salve stood out from the rest.”
Hardiman is the second member of St. John’s varsity roster to commit to the Seahawks. Outfielder/infielder Zeke O’Connell, from Newton, joined Salve Regina earlier in the offseason.
“Zeke’s a great friend of mine,” Hardiman said. “I’m very excited to be spending the next four years with him. He transferred in sophomore year. He was playing varsity while I played junior varsity. He was in a couple of my classes and I got to know him better. Once he decided he was going to Salve that kind of pointed me there. When I decided to commit he was just as thrilled as I was, which is awesome.”
With his future plans sealed and official, Hardiman shifts his attention toward preparing for his senior season with the Eagles. He took the mound last week and felt comfortable. Hardiman carries a four-pitch arsenal that includes a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, change-up and slider.
“I’ve been working with Steve Peterson, who’s a St. John’s graduate,” Hardiman said. “I’ve been pitching with him the past few weeks. Being able to step on the mound, throw and get my mind off everything has been great. I’ve pitched once since I made my decision and those were some of the best pitches I’ve made. I’m looking forward to not having to worry about anything once I step on the mound.”
Hardiman’s path to the college diamond is a unique one. When he was nine years old, Hardiman found himself dealing with discomfort while playing summer baseball. He knew something wasn’t right and doctors later diagnosed him with Type 1 diabetes.
Hardiman still battles with diabetes and said keeping track of his numbers is key.
“As long as the numbers are controlled, everything’s in check and it’s just me being me,” Hardiman said. “When numbers are high, I see a decrease in control. When numbers are low I see a decrease in velocity. I just have to keep the numbers in control. It can be tough but Jordan Hicks of the St. Louis Cardinals throws 104 miles per hour and he has Type 1 diabetes. It’s motivating to see that if he can do it so can I.”
Hardiman’s father, Ed Hardiman, is the headmaster at St. John’s.
“It keeps it interesting,” the younger Hardiman said. “During snow days, my phone’s always blowing up. Riding to school with him is a good time. It’s a good thing. It has more pros than cons, for sure.”
St. John’s had its first practice of the season Monday. The Eagles hope this is the year they climb to the top in the Division 1A Super 8 tournament- a goal they’ve fallen short of the past few seasons.
“We got our first official practice,” Hardiman said. “We’ve had captains’ practices the past couple weeks. Everyone’s energized for sure. The team’s come up short the past few years, but we’re ready to go this year.”
