Kevin Hilton Gives Us the First Complete Game of the 2021 Season

Great Falls, MT. – Kevin Hilton of the Missoula PaddleHeads saw the Great Falls Voyagers have some success against him offensively in the third inning that included a stretch of four hits in five at-bats in the inning. In the end, Great Falls would tally three runs in the frame. The Voyagers were hoping it would be a sign of things to come as Great Falls trimmed into a five-run deficit. The San Diego native had different ideas.

Hilton would take complete control on the mound in innings four through eight allowing only one baserunner in that stretch including a run of 11 retired in a row. After the dust settled in the bottom of the ninth inning, Hilton was the last man standing as the veteran right hander would finish the job in a complete game to highlight a 10-3 Missoula victory.

The complete game for Hilton was the first for the PaddleHeads this season, and first from any pitcher in the Pioneer League in 2021. The Cal State San Marcos product would allow only two base runners after the third inning allowing no runs in that stretch while striking out four.

The offense would do plenty in support of Hilton on Sunday evening. The PaddleHeads would waste little time taking a three-run lead in the top of the first inning. Aaron Bond’s ninth home run of the season would do all the damage in the frame on a three-run blast into right centerfield. Bond would knock in a pair more with a single in the eighth to finish 2-for-4 with 5 driven in.

Zach Almond would also get in on the act in the third inning taking on right center field for his ninth home run of the season to make the score 5-0. It would be just another day at the office for the North Carolina native who finished 3-for-5 with two driven in. Almond has recorded at least two hits in 14 games this season with the PaddleHeads.