On Tuesday, April 11, Grant Ringenberg came through for his former baseball teammates at Middle Creek High -- just like he said he would.

A member of the school's first graduating class in 2005, Ringenberg, a tall and talented pitcher, went to Charleston Southern University on a baseball scholarship.

During his three years as a Mustang, though, he often complained to anyone who would listen about not having lights at the baseball field.

He told teammates, coaches and even principal John Williams that when he signed a Major League Baseball contract, he would make sure that the school had lights for the baseball field.

He would ensure there were no more 4:30 p.m. starts and no more games suspended because of darkness.

But Ringenberg never got the chance to sign that contract, and he never got the chance to even throw a pitch in college.

He was killed in a fight in a dormitory parking lot at the Charleston, S.C., campus in November.

Any ballplayer who plays the game long enough invariably picks up a nickname.

A California transplant, Ringenberg arrived at Middle Creek and was soon dubbed "Sunshine."

Maybe it was his blond hair and laid-back west coast attitude. Or maybe everyone called him Sunshine because of his bright smile and his strong Christian faith.

Whatever the reason, his parents, friends, teammates and teachers agree Ringenberg brightened the place wherever he went.

So it was only fitting that they all came together following his tragic death to deliver on his promise and raise the lights that he so often talked about.

Gary Ringenberg, Grant's father, met with Williams and Middle Creek athletic director Mike Matthews soon after his son's death to discuss Grant's wishes. They decided on a memorial fund to purchase lights for Mustangs baseball.

Gary Ringenberg's employer, Caterpillar Inc., committed to matching any funds raised by the community. The initial response was phenomenal.

The fund quickly grew to more than $20,000. But even with Caterpillar's match, the school was still only halfway to the $90,000 necessary to complete the project.

Then Caterpillar stepped up again and not only matched the community's funds, but wrote a check to cover the remaining cost.

With the funding in place, the project came together quickly, and Tuesday night hundreds gathered to honor Ringenberg's memory in a pre-game ceremony and watch the first 7 p.m. home start in Mustangs baseball history -- under the lights.

They called the event "Sunshine at the Creek." Many wore red T-shirts imprinted with Ringenberg's number 23 and the dedication, "Ringenberg: A Heart for God. A Passion for Baseball."

"On many levels, it's a special night for us," said Williams as the Mustangs battled Fuquay-Varina High on the lighted field. "One student of our founding student body is present in spirit but not present in body. He [Ringenberg] was part of the character that set the foundation for the school.

"Unfortunately we lost him in a tragic way. If kids have good character and they strive for things, they bring back something -- always -- for the school."

Gary Ringenberg said his son would be pleased to see his promise fulfilled.

"First of all, Grant would have a big ol' grin on his face," he said. "That would be the first thing. He would just say, ‘Yeah, I wanted it to happen and it happened.' He'd be excited about it, I know that. It would be special for him if he could be here, and maybe in some way he's watching. Who knows?"

The game turned out to be a loss for the Mustangs, a 7-4 decision to Tri-Seven Conference rival Fuquay-Varina High.

Middle Creek senior Cameron Rollins, however, still managed a smile for Sunshine following the game. He played with Ringenberg last year and like a good teammate, endured Ringenberg's riffs and rants about lights.

"This would be the happiest day of his life," Rollins said. "[The lights are] basically the only thing he wanted, that and to pitch. When he was out here that's all he talked about. ‘Lights are going to be out here one day fellas.' And then some days, ‘Why are we playing games at 4:30? It's going to change one day.'"

That day came on April 11.