Doing the floor exercise in front of thousands of fans might seem daunting to some, but for Livi Dunn it’s nothing compared to the nerves she’ll feel watching her boyfriend, Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes, take the mound.
In a video posted by Bleacher Report on Tuesday, the popular Louisiana State University gymnast said she gets more nervous when Skenes throws than when she’s competing.
“Watching Paul makes me nervous because it’s not the same as when I’m not doing it and I’m not in control,” Dan said, “but I have confidence in his ability and I turn that nervousness into expectations for him.”
Dunn joked that he hopes the right-hander will be more nervous for him than for him when he watches his games, but said he’s not sure how he’ll feel afterward.
“I honestly don’t know anyone who thinks the way he does. I don’t really know what he would say,” she replied.
Dunn has been a frequent presence when Skenes pitched for the Pirates, most recently taking the mound at PNC Park on June 5 against the star-studded Dodgers.
The Pirates won the game, 10-6, with Skenes striking out Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts.
The 21-year-old gymnastics star previously raved about her baseball player boyfriend in a TikTok video she posted during the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition event.
“I cried,” Dan is Skenes I was so proud of him when he made his MLB debut in May because I know how much he worked for that moment and how hard he works every day.
“I think he has made me a better athlete and person. I’m really proud of him.”
As of Tuesday, Skenes was 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 38 strikeouts in five starts since his promotion.
