Livonia Stevenson's Cipa hits 2 inside-the-park HRs in same inning
Avery Cipa set a program record by smacking two inside-the-park home runs in the same inning during a 15-2 victory over Garden City.
Anyone familiar with Avery Cipa’s story wouldn’t be surprised to hear about the program record she set for Livonia Stevenson's softball team during a 15-2 win over Garden City on April 23. Not once but twice in the same inning, she smacked inside-the-park home runs, belting two fly balls to the fence in right-center and outracing the throws to home plate. What’s more, she did it against two different pitchers.
Since Stevenson (7-2, 4-1) and Garden City (4-7, 4-0) could possibly meet in the Division 1 district tournament, neither team wanted to tip its hand by starting its ace. For Stevenson, backup Brooke Bensaske struck out four while Kennedy Hinkle, a Northwood volleyball commit, also took the circle. Khloe Stevens got the start for the Cougars before the Spartans scored 10 runs in the opening inning, forcing Garden City to bring in regular starter Sydney West, who has signed with Schoolcraft.
Rookie arm or future college star, the pitching switch didn’t matter. Cipa still used her speed and athleticism to touch them all the hard way in one inning. “Some teams know she’s fast, but some teams don’t, and she’s great when people don’t realize her speed,” coach Kevin Hannigan said.
“Once she gets it (a hit) past you, especially on the turf, she’s always looking to get no less than two bases but sometimes three. ” Cipa’s speed is why Hannigan promoted her to varsity as a freshman, needing a pinch runner who could do damage on the base paths. She didn’t waste that opportunity, nor has she let others slip by since.