Livvy Dunne chimes in on boyfriend Paul Skenes' MLB debut

Paul Skenes is the reigning No. 1 MLB Draft pick, the Most Outstanding Player in last year’s College World Series, MLB's top pitching prospect, and he ate up Triple-A hitters all spring with his electric stuff. For good reason, his arrival in the Major Leagues with the Pirates was highly anticipated among baseball fans.

But there was one person in the stands Saturday who had reason to be more excited than the typical Bucs fan in the crowd at PNC Park. Skenes’ girlfriend is popular former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, who was in attendance for his MLB debut against the Cubs. Dunne caught up with Sportsnet Pittsburgh’s Hannah Mears during the third inning, reflecting on what the journey to this point has been like for the duo.

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“I had some nerves creeping in at first, but I kind of channeled that into excitement more than nerves,” said Dunne, whose estimated NIL value of $3.9 million ranks second among amateur athletes, behind University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. “I just have the most confidence in him ever, so I trust in him and what he’s put in, and I’m just so excited.”

Skenes struck out seven batters in his four-plus innings of work, allowing six hits, two walks and three earned runs in the process. Notably, he had 17 pitches of at least 100 mph despite his limited workload, the third-most by any MLB player in a game this season. Though he did not get the win, he played a key role in Pittsburgh’s thrilling 10-9 victory, which pleased a very passionate fan base in the building to watch their prized prospect.

“It’s amazing, the support here is awesome. Pittsburgh has been so welcoming,” said Dunne, who has more than 13 million combined followers on Instagram and TikTok. “Just the people wearing Air Force stuff [Skenes’ first college before transferring to LSU], LSU stuff, wearing Skenes jerseys; the support here is unreal, and I love it.”

One specific anecdote that came up during Dunne’s and Mears’ conversation was the immediate aftermath to Skenes being called up from Triple-A. The pair woke up from a nap to some missed calls on Skenes’ phone, which they quickly realized were meant to signify his big league callup. They missed an ensuing flight as a result, and had to drive six hours to get to Pittsburgh on time.

“All I can say is I think that’s the quickest I’ve ever packed in my life,” reflected Dunne, who was an All-American in the uneven bars as a freshman in 2021 after finishing ninth nationally in the event. “We just woke up from a nap, he had a few missed calls, and he got called up. He was like, ‘Let’s pack,’ and then we hit the road. It was so exciting.”

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All travel inconveniences aside, the journey was a memorable one for the pair, with Dunne expressing extreme gratitude for the opportunity to watch Skenes compete at the top level. Even if game day itself proved to be quite stressful.

“I always say it’s way harder to be the person in the stands, because I’m not in control. I don’t know how to throw a 100-mile-an-hour fastball,” said Dunne, whose LSU Tigers just brought home the gymnastics national championship for the first time in school history. “It’s hard to have no control, especially with gymnastics when you’re watching. But I know he’s just got this, and I have a lot of confidence in him.”

That confidence was justified on Saturday afternoon, with Skenes largely impressing besides a rough start to the fifth inning. And even in a relationship that has featured some remarkable moments from Skenes on the field thus far -- including when he brought his own NCAA championship to LSU a year ago -- she said it was hard to top the one that unfolded at PNC Park.

“I have so many amazing memories with him, but I know how hard he’s worked for this moment, all the hours, and I just know what a hard worker he is,” said Dunne. “Seriously, there’s nothing that can top this. I’m just so proud.”