Livvy Dunne spent her weekend in New York City throwing heat. Or more specifically, a splinker.
The LSU gymnast turned influencer stepped onto the mound at Fanatics Fest 2026 and uncorked the signature pitch made famous by her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes. MLB posted video of the moment, and it took maybe two seconds for baseball fans to lose it online.
Dunne’s been dating Skenes since their LSU days, so it makes sense she’s picked up a thing or two watching him on the mound. But seeing her actually throw it? That got attention.
Fanatics Fest isn’t just about showing up and throwing a couple of pitches though. Dunne spent the day doing meet-and-greets with fans and trading Skenes baseball cards with younger collectors. She also sat on a women’s sports panel alongside Alex Earle, talking about the growing landscape of female athletes in the media.
It’s been a busy stretch for both of them. Skenes is in the middle of a Pirates season that’s kept him on the road. Dunne graduated from LSU in December 2024 and has been building out her influencer brand — she’s at over 13 million followers across TikTok and Instagram now. Plus she’s got that Baywatch reboot coming up, which is still kind of wild to say out loud.
When People asked her earlier this year how they make the long-distance thing work, she kept it simple. No rules, no elaborate systems. Just being present when they’re together.
“I mean, he makes time to come to my events. I make time to go watch him pitch. I try to make every start I can,” she said.
Skenes was the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 by the Pirates. Dunne started growing her following while competing for LSU’s gymnastics team, which won back-to-back national championships. They started dating in spring 2023, and the balancing act has only gotten more complicated since then.
“We both are so busy that we understand if one another can’t be there for everything,” Dunne told People. “But I think just really valuing the time you spend together and being super present in every moment.”
Skenes is scheduled to pitch later today at 1:40 p.m. ET against the Cleveland Guardians. Dunne will probably be watching. And now she’s got a splinker she can show off if he ever needs a second opinion.
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