Paul Skenes delivered a commanding performance for Team USA on Monday, but one familiar face was missing from the stands: his girlfriend, former LSU gymnastics star Olivia “Livvy” Dunne. Fans and media alike noticed Dunne’s conspicuous absence during the game, and she has now explained why she wasn’t present to witness her baseball star boyfriend impress.
Skenes, who won the Cy Young Award last season, pitched four innings against Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, allowing just one hit and striking out seven batters, while walking only one.
Taking to social media, Dunne posted a short video and wrote: “Ya girls gotta work but…GO USA RAHHH,” alongside an American bald eagle emoji.
In the clip, she holds up a Skenes No. 30 jersey and jumps excitedly, with the on-screen text reading, “getting excited to watch your bf rep the USA.”
The video then cuts to Dunne in different attire with the words, “misses game,” explaining her absence while maintaining her support for Skenes.
While it remains unclear what work commitment kept Dunne away from the ballpark, this was not the first time she has supported Skenes during the World Baseball Classic.
A few days earlier, she shared a video from the stands at one of Team USA‘s exhibition games in Arizona, demonstrating her consistent enthusiasm for watching her boyfriend perform on the international stage.
A fine start for Skenes
Skenes‘s performance on Monday was nothing short of impressive. Coming in during a five-run lead, he allowed just one hit over four innings and struck out seven batters.
He walked only one batter while on the mound, helping Team USA maintain momentum against Mexico.
Speaking to the Fox broadcast, Skenes described the experience as “awesome,” highlighting his excitement to wear the Team USA jersey on a global stage.
“Getting that five-run inning made it really easy to go back out there, but that was unbelievable,” Skenes told Ken Rosenthal.
His performance set the tone for the game, and the United States entered the fifth inning with a comfortable five-run advantage.
Rays left-hander Garrett Cleavinger relieved Skenes and pitched a flawless inning, allowing no hits.
However, Mexico rallied slightly in the eighth, scoring two runs on home runs by Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, cutting the lead to 5-3.
Livvy Dunne still committed to following Skenes
Despite missing the game in person, Dunne‘s enthusiasm for Skenes‘s performance was evident from her social media posts.
Fans and teammates have praised her ongoing support, noting that professional commitments sometimes require difficult sacrifices.
Given her history of cheering for Skenes at previous games, it’s clear that her work-related absence is unlikely to cause any tension in the couple’s relationship.
As Skenes continues to shine for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Dunne will no doubt be watching closely, ready to celebrate every strikeout and highlight from afar.
Her playful acknowledgment of having to miss the historic start shows the balance between professional responsibilities and personal life, while maintaining unwavering support for one of baseball’s brightest young stars.
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