Paul Skenes on throwing 100 mph: It's pretty freeing

There are only a handful of professional pitchers that can let it rip accurately, throwing 100-mile-per-hour smoke. There are even fewer at the college ranks. And the LSU Tigers have such a pitcher in right-hander Paul Skenes. Recently at the Men’s College World Series, the Tigers ace had a few thoughts on his impressive ability and revealed when he first threw in the triple digits.

“It’s pretty freeing to be honest,” said Skenes. “I found out about it after the fact for one and didn’t really know what to think. I didn’t think I would get a whole lot more. But it was really cool to find out the first time.”

Skenes had a lights-out showing in LSU’s first game of the Men’s College World Series double-elimination round against Tennessee. The likely first-round pick in the upcoming MLB draft pitched 7.2 innings against the Volunteers allowing five hits, two earned runs, and an impressive 12 strikeouts. Still, with all that arm talent, does Skenes take a look at the scoreboard from time to time to see how fast his pitches are being clocked?

“All the time.”

Skenes on being close to breaking the SEC’s all-time strikeout record

Skenes is also currently two strikeouts away from breaking Ben McDonald‘s all-time SEC strikeout record. If the Tigers ace gets to start again this season, he would very likely break the record of 202 strikeouts. Skenes, who has 200 strikeouts on the season, was asked about being close to breaking the record set by McDonald, who was also an LSU star.

“People have told me a lot about that,” Skenes said. “He’s called a lot of our games. I’ve talked to him a fair amount. It’s cool. It’s really cool.”

McDonald threw 202 strikeouts in 152.1 innings during the 1989 season when he pitched in 26 games and made 21 starts. He was 14-4 during the season with a 3.49 ERA, four saves and eight complete games.

Hawaii pitcher Derek Tatsuno has the all-time NCAA record after throwing 234 strikeouts in 22 games during his famous 1979 season, which is one of the best seasons in college baseball history. He also won 20 games that year, becoming the first player to reach that plateau.

Skenes has 200 strikeouts in 114.2 innings this season. He has pitched and started 18 games with a 12-2 record, 1.81 ERA and a 0.776 WHIP.