Wildcat Helps Win World Series

Rising West Ashley High School senior Jonah Horton played a crucial role in winning the recent Dixie Youth Pre-Majors World Series in Guntersville, Ala.
Horton was a pitcher and outfielder for the North Charleston team featuring players who were 17 years old and under at the start of the season. The majors team, featuring 19-year-olds and younger, also won their tournament.
Baseball teams representing 12 states from Virginia down through Texas competed in the double-elimination tournament. Horton’s team only lost once over a seven-game run to take home first place.
Horton, 17, won the game he started as pitcher 11-5 against the team representing Arkansas. “It was “10-2 when they took me out,” he said.
Horton usually batted second in the lineup.
Pre-majors head coach Jamie Rabon praised Horton’s work at the plate. “He was pretty good offensively, moving runners around with some good bunts.”
When the final out was made, the team rushed the field, smothering the pitcher, and then ran out to centerfield where they grabbed the state flag and ran it back in to home plate, where they posed for pictures.
Was that the highlight of the weeklong tournament for the Village Green resident? Nah.
“It was hanging with the team for an entire week in a hotel on a lake,” said Horton, who’s planning to attend either USC or Clemson “for the academics,” but adds he may try out for the baseball team. “We’ll see what happens.”
During the school year, Horton pitches and plays outfield for the Wildcats varsity baseball team.