Olivia Dunne is a big fan of Paul Skenes, obviously. LSU’s superstar gymnast started dating the top Major League Baseball prospect prior to his departure from Baton Rouge in June.
She was freaking out as he toed the rubber at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla. on Thursday.
Skenes started for Pittsburgh during the first game of the Spring Breakout series after being drafted No. 1 overall in last year’s MLB Draft. He was nasty, again.
The 6-foot-6, 235 future ace took the bump against the Baltimore Orioles, which set up a rematch against 2022 first overall pick Jackson Holliday. Skenes mowed him down while pumping 102 on the first of the month. He got the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday again in their second meeting!
Enrique Bradfield Jr. started the night with a three-pitch strikeout in the leadoff spot. He saw 101, 101, and 102.
101, 101, 102. Three-pitch strikeout to open the game
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 14, 2024
Paul Skenes is nuts pic.twitter.com/QNmM1b98lj
Holliday went down swinging as well! Skenes hit three digits on the radar gun three times during the six-pitch at-bat. His strikeout pitch was a 91.6mph fastball.
Skenes needed just 11 pitches to record a scoreless first inning. Holliday was 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.
— Jackson Holliday
Dunne was also thrilled with her boyfriend’s performance. However, she showed more nerves than the young prospects who stepped into the box against him!
Major League Baseball took note of the tiny laptop and asked her how she got it through the door. Dunne joked that it required a forklift.
To say that the pair of current and former Bayou Bengals are a power couple would be an understatement. Olivia Dunne continues to be one of the most profitable female athletes in the world. Paul Skenes is throwing nasty cheddar en route to what everybody expects will be a fruitful pro baseball career.
He believes that the Pirates are in a position to compete for many 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.
— Paul Skenes
Dunne will continue to cheer him on from in front of a tiny laptop until her schedule opens up after the (final) gym season in Baton Rouge!