South Hills baseball beats Covina in historic 'Midnight Madness' season opener

The teams played the game at 12:50 a.m. on the first official day of the high school baseball season

Feb. 16, 2026 at 10:23pm

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In an effort to beat the rain on Monday, the South Hills and Covina baseball teams played their season opener at 12:50 a.m., becoming perhaps the latest or earliest start time to a high school baseball game in CIF-SS history. South Hills won the game 6-1 in a sloppy but memorable contest that ended at 3:34 a.m. The game was the first official game under the newly installed lights at South Hills' baseball and softball fields.

Why it matters

The 'Midnight Madness' game was a unique and historic event, as high school baseball teams typically do not play games in the middle of the night. This game showcased the teams' and community's dedication to the sport, as well as South Hills' investment in upgrading their facilities to allow for night games.

The details

The game was originally scheduled to start at midnight, but due to delays, the first pitch was not thrown until 12:50 a.m. South Hills won the game 6-1, despite only having two hits, as Covina committed 10 walks, three hit batters, and four errors. South Hills' Carson Baker threw three no-hit innings with six strikeouts to settle the game down after Covina took an early 1-0 lead.

  • The game started at 12:50 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026.
  • The game ended at 3:34 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026.

The players

Darren Murphy

The head coach of the South Hills baseball team, who came up with the idea for the 'Midnight Madness' game.

Tim O'Leary

The head coach of the Covina baseball team, who was glad to take part in the historic game.

Carson Baker

A senior pitcher for South Hills, who threw three no-hit innings with six strikeouts to settle the game down.

Terry Abernathy

The principal of South Hills High School, who said the school came up with the plan for the game the night before.

Diego Lopez

A player for Covina who scored the first run of the game in the second inning.

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What they’re saying

“I do like doing things that nobody else is doing. It was only fitting that Covina would be the first ones to play here. This is a first and here we are, and the kids got a 'W' over a cross-town rival.”

— Darren Murphy, South Hills head coach

“It's never happened before to the best of my knowledge. Isn't it a beautiful thing. It's a great day for baseball.”

— Tim O'Leary, Covina head coach

“It's crazy. I never thought that I would play a high school game at 3:30 in the morning, but we do things different at South Hills.”

— Carson Baker, South Hills senior pitcher

“It's amazing, crazy. It was a different experience. It's just good to come out here to play some good baseball.”

— Lucas Thorpe, Covina player

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This 'Midnight Madness' game showcases the dedication and passion of the players, coaches, and community for high school baseball in the San Gabriel Valley. It also highlights South Hills' investment in upgrading their facilities to allow for night games, which could lead to more unique scheduling opportunities in the future.