Mayfair native Santino Harwood’s lifelong passion for baseball began at just five years old.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“You just know when you fall in love with baseball,” Harwood said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Roman Catholic High School graduate made a name for himself during his years at the school.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“My upperclassman years were really good,” Harwood said. “I hit over .400 in high school both years and I just carried a lot of humbleness and maturity.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
That maturity and talent caught the eye of Delaware State University Head Coach Pedro Swann. Before long, Harwood committed to play shortstop for the Hornets.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“There’s a bunch of great supporters around you when you step onto campus, so I fell in love with it instantly,” said Harwood.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the joy Harwood played with was temporarily lost after he tore two ligaments in his ankle and was sidelined for the rest of his freshman year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“He was just coming into his own \u2014 hitting over .300, stealing bases, playing solid defense, and when the season got cut short, it hurt the team because he’s a leader on the infield,” Swann said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Harwood kept working \u2014 and made a big comeback in his sophomore year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“He played with a chip on his shoulder because he didn’t have the chance to complete his first year, so he had an awesome year at the plate,” Swann said.\u00a0<\/p>\n