Olivia “Livy” Dunn picked a good night to go to a baseball game.
The famed Louisiana State University gymnast cheered on her boyfriend, Paul Skenes, at Wednesday’s Pirates-Dodgers game, striking out Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts on a combined seven pitches in the first inning.
Dunn, 21, took to his Instagram Stories before the game, sharing a photo of himself wearing a black top, black denim shorts and a black Pirates hat.
She then posted a video from PNC Park in Pittsburgh, where Skenes struck out Betts and Ohtani early in the game, striking out the Dodgers’ two-way superstar with a 100 mph fastball in the bottom of the first inning.
“His first at-bat was a really good pitch,” Ohtani said of the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s MLB draft. “He didn’t take a great swing, but overall he was really good.”
The 29-year-old Ohtani hit a home run off Skenes in the third inning, but it was the 22-year-old Ohtani who got the win on Wednesday, holding the Tigers to three runs in five innings to improve to 3-0.
“I grew up watching him.” Skenes recently said this about Ohtani:He signed a huge 10-year contract worth $700 million during the offseason and is in his first season with the Dodgers.
“As a two-way player, that’s what I aspired to be before I even got drafted. He’s been an inspiration to me in a lot of ways.”
Skenes has been performing well since being promoted to the majors in May.
Ahead of his highly anticipated debut, the former Louisiana State University pitcher revealed how Dunn has been helping him prepare.
“She’s helped me in a lot of ways, just in terms of managing all the hype and everything that happens as a professional athlete, because she’s been through it first-hand, so that’s been a big help,” Skenes said at the time.
He struck out seven in his debut against the Cubs on May 11, giving up six hits and three runs in four innings with two walks in the Pirates’ 10-9 victory.
Dan was in attendance on Skenes’ big night and posed for a photograph with the pitcher on the field after the game.
He confirmed their relationship last summer.
