Paul Skenes 2023 season was one of the best seasons by a college pitcher ever. Relive every game on his way to a record setting 209 strikeouts.
2/17/23 – Skenes’ season started against Western Michigan in LSU’s opening game of the season. He didn’t have to wait long for his first strikeout. Senior shortstop Jimmy Allen was the first player to fall victim to Skenes’ pitching prowess. Allen took a big swing at Skenes’ 86 MPH breaking ball on an 0-2 count, but came up with nothing. Skenes would finish game one with 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER and 12 K. He also recorded a victory in LSU’s 10-0 season opener.
2/24/23 – Skenes’ next start came a week later against Kansas State. Though LSU would go on to win 7-3, Skenes didn’t receive a win because LSU’s bats didn’t come alive until after he exited the game. Skenes gave up his first earned run of the season in the top of the first inning before settling in. He finished the game with 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER and 11 K. His strikeout tally was now up to 23.
3/3/23 – Skenes’ next start was a week later against Butler. Skenes gave up an early hit in the top of the first inning, but that would be the only hit he’d give up all game in LSU’s 12-2 win. Skenes got the victory on the mound and was pulled after six nearly perfect innings. His final stat line was 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER and 13 K. His strikeout total was now up to 36.
3/10/23 – Skenes would receive another victory the following week in LSU’s 11-1 win over Samford. He finished the game with 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER and 12 strikeouts. Through just four starts and 24.0 innings, Skenes recorded 48 strikeouts.
3/17/23 – In Skenes’ first ever SEC start, he did not disappoint. Texas A&M was ranked No. 11 in the country at the time of this matchup and the game was played at College Station. Skenes rose to the challenge right from the start and struck out the first batter he faced in just three pitches. LSU would go on to win the game 9-0. This would also be his longest appearance of the season up to this point, but only by 0.1 innings. He would finish his SEC debut with 6.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER and 11 K. His strikeout tally was now at 59.
3/24/23 – Despite LSU losing 9-3 to No. 6 Arkansas, Skenes still put on a special performance. The score line is a little misleading. LSU and Arkansas were tied 1-1 heading into extra innings before 10 combined runs were scored in the tenth. Despite the loss for LSU, Skenes did not receive a loss and finished the game with 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER and 12 K. The season-long K tally was now up to 71.
3/30/23 – Skenes entered a pitching duel against the projected top pitcher in the SEC, Chase Dollander, and came out on top in his seventh start of the season. Though Skenes wasn’t awarded the win in LSU’s 5-2 victory over No. 11 Tennessee, he still put on a pitching clinic. He finished the game with 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER and 12 K. Skenes was now up to 83 strikeouts on the season.
4/6/23 – Skenes’ eighth start of the season would arguably be his worst. Not only did he receive his first loss of the season against No. 6 South Carolina, he was also pulled the quickest he would be all season. Skenes finished the game with just 3.0 IP in LSU’s 13-5 loss to the Gamecocks. He gave up 2 H and 2 ER with 8 K. This was the first time all season he threw under 10 strikeouts in a game, and it would be one of only two losses he would record all season. His season long strikeout tally was now at 91.
4/13/23 – The next game was another rough out for Skenes, at least by his lofty standards. Though he received the victory in LSU’s 16-6 win over No. 12 Kentucky and recorded his 100 strikeout of the season, he’d also give up his season high in earned runs and hits. He finished with 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER and 13 K. He was now up to 104 strikeouts.
4/21/23 – Skenes would continue his race to the record against Ole Miss the following week. He picked up another victiory in LSU’s 7-3 win and had another game going over 10 strikeouts. Skenes only had two games all season where he gave up more than two earned runs. They came in back-to-back starts. Still, he finished with 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER and 11 K. He was now up to 115 strikeouts.
4/28/23 – Skenes got back into a groove in LSU’s 8-6 win over Alabama. He was given the victory on the mound and finished the game with 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER and 9 K. His season tally was now at 124.
5/5/23 – Skenes had one of his best performances of the season in LSU’s 3-0 win over Auburn. He threw a career high 15 strikeouts in 7.1 IP and received the win. He gave up six hits and allowed no runs in the shutout victory. He was now up to 139 strikeouts on the season.
5/12/23 – Skenes’ next game came against Mississippi State. He got another victory on the mound in LSU’s 12-1 run-rule victory. He pitched the entire game, going 7.0 IP with 3 H, 1 ER and 13 K. His strikeout total grew to 152 on the season.
5/18/23 – His final game of the regular season came on the road in LSU’s 8-5 extra-inning win over Georgia. Skenes didn’t get the win, but still threw for 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER and 12 K. He ended the regular season with 164 strikeouts, the second most in LSU history. He did it in just 86.2 IP, 37.2 innings less than the old second place holder Anthony Ranaudo.
5/25/23 – His next appearance was another contender for his worst showing of the season. It came in LSU’s SEC Tournament loss to No. 3 Arkansas. Skenes was given the loss as LSU fell 5-4 to the Razorbacks. It was his second and final loss of the season. Skenes threw just 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER and a season low 3 K. His season long tally was now at 167.
6/02/23 – Skenes’ next start was in the Baton Rouge Regional against Tulane. Skenes threw his first ever complete game and allowed LSU to save all its pitchers for the remaining games in the regional. His 121st pitch hit 100 MPH. It was the first complete game by an LSU pitcher since Alex Lange in 2015. Skenes finished with 9.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 12 K and the viciotry. His season total was now at 179.
6/10/23 – Skenes’ final game at Alex Box Stadium came in LSU’s 14-0 beatdown of Kentucky in the Baton Rouge Super Regional. Skenes got the win and threw 7.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER and 9 K. He was now up to 188 strikeouts, just 14 strikeouts from the SEC record set by Ben McDonald.
6/17/23 – Skenes’ next start came in LSU’s opening game of the College World Series against Tennessee. LSU would win that game 6-3, and Skenes was awarded the victory on the mound. He went 7.2 IP giving up 5 H, 2 ER and recording 12 K. He was now up to 200 strikeouts on the season. Skenes needed just two more strikeouts to tie the record and three to break it.
6/22/23 – Skenes’ final appearance of the season would come in the most anticipated game of the season. LSU had beaten No. 1 Wake Forest the day before to set up a do or die game for both teams. Both teams used their ace, with Wake Forest throwing Rhett Lowder. The winner would move on to the CWS Finals. The loser would go home. Though he wasn’t given the win, Skenes had maybe his best and undeniably his most important game of the season. Skenes finished the game with 8.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER and 9 K in LSU’s 2-0 win over Wake Forest. Skenes’ strikeout tally was now higher than any SEC pitcher’s ever was.
The record-breaking pitch came at the end of the top of the second inning. With his 24th pitch of the game, Skenes struck out Justin Johnson with an 88 MPH pitch. He finished the season with 209 strikeouts on 122.2 IP with a 1.69 ERA, a 12-2 record and a national championship.
