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Pirates' Paul Skenes, Livvy Dunne Enjoy Date Night
May 11, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) poses with his girlfriend Louisiana State University gymnast Olivia Dunn (right) after making his major league debut against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park. The Pirates won 10-8. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes and his girlfriend, former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, went out for a memorable date night in the city during the recent homestand.

The couple went to the fine dining restaurant, Monterey Bay Fish Grotto in the Duquense Heights neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh.

This restaurant offers a beautiful, scenic view from the top of the hill overlooking downtown Pittsburgh and the North Shore, with both Acrisure Stadium, where the Pittsburgh Steelers play, and PNC Park, home of the Pirates.

It also provides a menu with exquisite seafood and steak options, with an extensive list of wines from around the globe.

Skenes went with a succulent steak, while Dunne went with shrimp and pasta. She also ordered the "Monterey Bay Crab Cake with Shrimp" appetizer, featuring a crab cake, house remoulade and Gold Coast shrimp.

Dunne also attended the most recent Skenes start vs. the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on July 1. He only went five innings and allowed five hits, a walk and hit a batter, but no runs, while posting five strikeouts.

The Pirates bullpen shut the Cardinals down and the offense got the important go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning, as the Pirates secured a 1-0 victory.

Skenes is having a great season, despite a 4-7 record, with the Pirates scoring four runs or fewer in 14 of his 18 starts, with three of them shutouts.

He ranks amongst the best pitchers in baseball, including second in ERA (2.03) and opposing batting average (.182), fourth in innings pitched (111.0), sixth in WHIP (0.92) and ninth in strikeouts (115).

Skenes and Dunne began dating back at LSU, and the two have been inseparable ever since. The duo also featured in GQ magazine, with the couple wearing designer clothes and taking photos in a rare snowstorm in Baton Rouge.

Dunne was the most followed NCAA athlete on social media, including 5.3 million followers on Instagram and eight million followers on TikTok. She just finished her fifth season with LSU gymnastics, where they finished third at the National Championships.

She helped LSU win their first National Title in the 2023-24 season, as well as setting a career-high of 9.900 on floor twice. She also spent time o the U.S. National Team back in 2017. That marked her final season of competitive gymnastics, as she chose to retire from the sport following the conclusion of the season.

Skenes starred at LSU in 2023, after transferring from Air Force. He had a 13-2 record in 19 starts, 1.69 ERA in 122.2 innings, giving up just 23 earned runs and seven earned runs, while notching 209 strikeouts to just 20 walks, leading the program to a national title that season.

He would enter the 2023 MLB Draft, where the Pirates took him with the No. 1 overall pick. He also signed with the franchise on a $9.2 million signing bonus, the highest ever given to a player at the time.

Skenes has pitched sensationally since coming up to the MLB on May 11, 2024, serving as one of the best players in baseball.

He finished his rookie season with an 11-3 record over 23 starts, allowing just 29 earned runs over 133.0 innings pitched for a 1.96 ERA, 170 strikeouts to 32 walks, a .198 opposing batting average, a 0.95 WHIP and a 11.50 K/9.

Skenes started for the National League in the All-Star game that season, becoming the first rookie to do so since Hideo Nomo did so in 1995 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He went on to win NL Rookie of the Year, earning 23 of the 30 first-place votes and becoming the first Pirates player since outfielder Jason Bay did so 20 years earlier in 2004.

Skenes also earned All-MLB First Team honors and finished third in voting for the NL Cy Young Award.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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