 The team was purchased from the City in 2003 by Bob Bavasi of Bavasi Sports Partners and local auto dealer Don McCullough (1936–2005) and began 2003 season play as a summer collegiate wood-bat team as it remains to this day.The ball club played the 2003 and 2004 seasons in the California Collegiate League.In 2005, the Gold Sox became the host team for the Horizon Air Summer Series, a collegiate wood bat league created by Bob Bavasi.