College baseball head coach resigns after communication devices were found in his team’s

A JUCO baseball head coach has resigned after two of his players were found to  have illegal communications inside their helmets. 

Atlantic Cape Community College coach Rodney Velardi left his post, per the wishes of the New Jersey, after 13 years in the job.

The scandal came to light during an April 22 game vs. Rowan College Gloucester County, which Atlantic Cape lost 11-4. 

‘After the situation with the game, he was suspended pending the outcome of the NJCAA Region 19 review, and at that time, we had asked for him to resign,’ Chief Marketing Officer at Atlantic Cape, Laura Batchelor, said via the Cherry Hill Courier-Post.

Rowan and Atlantic Cape had also played April 21. It was then Gloucester County pitcher Ethan Dodd had a sense he’d been tipping pitches. Turns out, he was wrong. 

Atlantic Cape Community College coach Rodney Velardi (C) resigned after an investigation

Umpires checked on Atlantic Cape players after an opponent heard noises from their helmets

Rowan College Gloucester County head coach Rob Valli called on umpires to conduct a check

‘He had a feeling they were getting really good swings on pitches that he thought were good pitches,’ Gloucester head coach Rob Valli told the outlet. Before adding Dodd, in ‘hindsight’ was on the right path. 

First baseman Felix Diaz told Valli there were noises emanating from his opponents’ batting helmets. Despite initial disbelief, he asked the umpires to conduct an investigation, in which they found communications devices inside the helmets.

‘I didn’t believe it,’ Valli said. ‘I just thought, nah. I didn’t believe it. I didn’t not believe him, but for that sophisticated of cheating, I just didn’t think they would do it. I didn’t think they would do it. 

‘For me, I wasn’t going to go right up there in the first inning. We had to confirm that’s what it was. So, second time up, those same guys got on, and he was confirming with me the whole time. Once those guys got on, he’s saying, ‘I hear it. I hear it.” 

An investigation by Atlantic Cape was not conclusive and according to Batchelor, Velardi admitted to using the devices in practices, not games.

‘We found that coach Velardi was in direct violation of the [NJCAA rules],’ she said. ‘Whether or not that was done intentionally, we couldn’t tell, but he was in violation.’ 

‘As an institution, we had no idea. I apologize on behalf of the college to Rowan College Gloucester County and anyone else that might’ve been affected.’