Olivia Dunne’s admiration for Paul Skenes is no secret.
The LSU gymnastics sensation and the top Major League Baseball prospect struck up a romance before Skenes bid farewell to Baton Rouge in June.
Her excitement was palpable as he took the mound at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla. on Thursday.
Starting for Pittsburgh in the first game of the Spring Breakout series, Skenes, drafted No. 1 overall in last year’s MLB Draft, showcased his prowess once more.
The towering 6-foot-6, 235-pound future ace faced off against the Baltimore Orioles, setting the stage for a showdown with 2022 first overall pick Jackson Holliday. Skenes dominated, unleashing a 102mph fastball on the first of the month. He got the better of Matt Holliday’s son once again in their second encounter!
Kicking off the night with a three-pitch strikeout in the leadoff spot, Enrique Bradfield Jr. faced the heat with pitches clocking at 101, 101, and 102.
RELATED: Pirates Prospect Paul Skenes Reveals What It’s Like Dating NIL Queen Livvy Dunne
Holliday also fell victim to Skenes’ ferocious pitching, with Skenes reaching triple digits on the radar gun three times during their six-pitch battle. His strikeout pitch, a 91.6mph fastball, sealed the deal.
Skenes breezed through the first inning with just 11 pitches, leaving Holliday impressed.
“I think he was probably throwing like 110. That’s what it looked like. Brought out a cutter. I got to see all of them this time. It’s a fun at-bat. I mean, good pitches get hitters out sometimes,” remarked Jackson Holliday.
Dunne was equally thrilled with her boyfriend’s performance, though she seemed to show more nerves than the young prospects who faced him.
Even Major League Baseball took notice of Dunne’s presence with her tiny laptop, jokingly asking her how she managed to bring it through the door. Dunne playfully quipped that it required a forklift.
Describing the duo of current and former Bayou Bengals as a power couple would be an understatement. Olivia Dunne remains one of the most lucrative female athletes globally, while Paul Skenes continues to dazzle with his formidable pitching, poised for a promising pro baseball career.
Confident in the Pirates’ potential, Skenes believes they are primed to compete for years to come.
“We’re gonna be good for a while. The first wave of guys that are gonna go up, they’re gonna be really good. Then we have a stockpile of guys who are gonna come up. I don’t think people realize how good we are. I don’t think we realize how good we are,” said Paul Skenes.
Dunne will most likely continue to cheer him on from her laptop until her schedule opens up.
