Collegiate summer baseball is coming to Fort Dodge this year.

The team will play games at Patterson Field through the Pioneer Collegiate Baseball League, which is run by Donnie Roberts. The Fort Dodge squad will join up with teams in Storm Lake, Carroll, Bancroft, Albert Lea and Ames.

Connor McLeod, an assistant with the Iowa Central baseball team and former Triton player, has been tabbed as the head coach for this year.

“My excitement level to do this is very high,” McLeod said. “When I was playing, I wasn’t the best player by any means, but I just loved to play baseball. It’s been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember.”

McLeod was with Iowa Central from 2012-13 before playing at Mayville State University. He also spent time with the Kalamazoo Growlers as the hitting coach for a summer.

“Playing under Coach (Rick) Pederson did so much for me in terms of becoming a coach,” McLeod said. “His knowledge of the game is incredible and I truly believe he is one of the best coaches in the state of Iowa.

“And working with both Coach (Justin) Meyer and Coach (Eric) Stein has helped me grow as a coach.”

A total of 23 host families for the players will be needed, with McLeod stating the team will be bringing in “high-character kids who are looking for the experience to be beneficial for both the players and the host families.

“They treat them like their own kids,” he added. “It’s a really cool experience for everyone involved.”

Players in the league come from all across the U.S., along with several international players. Most have some form of college experience already, but the league is open to graduating high school players as well.

In all, the team will play between 35-40 games, along with hosting free clinics for area baseball players on Mondays. The season begins the first Sunday in June and runs until August, when playoffs begin.

“Baseball in this community is such a big deal,” McLeod said. “I’ve been here for three years now and the way this town — and surrounding areas — embrace baseball is incredible.

“I really think people will wrap their arms around this team and the turnout will speak for itself.”

Roberts is a former owner of the Waterloo Bucks, a minor league team that is part of the Northwoods League.

More information on the Pioneer Collegiate Baseball League can be found at pioneerbaseballleague.com. Albert Lea went 29-5 last year and won the PCBL Championship Series over Storm Lake.

There was also an all-star game held with a home run derby before it at Merchants Park in Carroll last summer. The league was created in 2017 with Storm Lake claiming the title over Carroll.

Joining McLeod on his coaching staff will be his brother, Kirk, also a former Iowa Central player who continued his career at Nebraska-Kearney.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun to coach with my brother,” McLeod said. “His knowledge of the game is outstanding and it is going to be tremendous to have him on the staff.”

McLeod has also reached out to a pair of former Triton players to serve as his pitching coach, adding “I think it’s important to give former Tritons a chance to continue their coaching careers, just like Coach Pederson and Coach Meyer have done for me and so many others.”