There was something special in the air at the fifth annual Cure All-Stars Baseball Game on May 13 in Sanford, but for many, the excitement was tempered by a profound sense of loss.

High school baseball players from Volusia and Lake counties took the field to showcase their talents in the all-star matchup, but the game carried extra weight for three Spruce Creek High School athletes: Mason Sanders, Jordan Livingston, and Joe Christen. Just four days earlier, on May 10, they lost their beloved assistant coach, Adam "Stump" Smith, in a tragic single-vehicle crash in Port Orange.

Smith was more than a coach—he was a mentor and a pillar of the Volusia County baseball community. His impact stretched far beyond Spruce Creek, touching players and families at New Smyrna Beach High School, Deland High School, and beyond. Coaches and players alike remember him as a young life taken far too soon, but one that left an indelible mark on everyone he worked with.

"I've had players that played for him and coaches that coach my kid in private lessons. They knew him personally, and everybody spoke of him to a high level," said Brandon Campbell, father of a Mainland High School player representing Volusia County at the game. "Just a young life gone too soon."

Before the first pitch, the teams gathered for a moment of silence in Smith's honor—a powerful tribute that reminded everyone why baseball is about so much more than the score. It's about community, mentorship, and the bonds that last a lifetime. For the players wearing their Spruce Creek gear, it was a chance to play for their coach one last time, carrying his memory onto the diamond.