Inspired Bierman Embraces Indiana Baseball Fight
2/7/2020 10:00:00 AM | Baseball
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The father is never far from the son, not where it matters, where it's always mattered.
Douglas Bierman played a huge role in son Gabe's development into a potential Indiana starting pitcher, and still does.
Death ended nothing.
"I never put it to the side," the younger Bierman says. "I always think about him. I use it as motivation. It keeps me going, keeps me working hard so I can be the kind of person I want to be."
When the elder Bierman passed away last May, the best way to honor him was to do what they both loved.
Play baseball.
So Gabe pitched two days after his father's death, and kept going, kept working, because that was the only way to get through it, rise above it, turn tragedy into celebration.
Bierman earned a three-inning save at Rutgers in that inspiring performance, getting the final out to clinch IU's Big Ten title.
In the aftermath coach Jeff Mercer praised Bierman's "incredible resiliency and toughness," saying his pitcher's transformation from struggling freshman to reliable reliever, was "incredible" and "one of the better ones I've seen in my coaching career."
Eight months later, beneath a gray February sky at Bart Kaufman Field, Bierman finds perspective.
"It was exciting and heart-warming and pretty bittersweet. I was thinking about him. It kind of sucked (that his father wasn't there to see it), but at the same time, I did it for him, for the team. That will always stick with me."
Through it all, he never considered leaving the team.
"I could never step away," he says. "I just kept going."
In so many ways, Bierman still is.
"It's about fighting through adversity. I love this game too much. I'll always be around it."
Now comes a new season and opportunity, and the foundation remains rooted in relationships, those forged by birth and Big Ten battles.
Hoosier teammates were there for Bierman after his father's death, and still are, a bond that reflects the best of team sports.
"It's a brotherhood," Bierman says. "We all stick together.
"The support from those guys, as soon as it happened, they never left my side. I'm not going to leave their side."
Bierman is a man who sticks to his word. He knew early he wanted to be a Hoosier. He committed during his Jeffersonville High School freshman season in southeastern Indiana. He never wavered in that decision while having an outstanding prep career that included tying the school record for most strikeouts in a game (15) and playing on a sectional title team as a senior.
Last year as a freshman, Bierman went 4-0 with two saves in 20 games. He had a 3.56 earned run average and struck out 46 in 48 innings while walking 18 Batters hit just .209 against him.
In a dominating show of potential, Gabe threw three perfect relief innings to earn his first career save at Michigan, the eventual national runner-up. He struck out the last eight batters he faced. That earned him Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
In a NCAA tourney win over UIC, Bierman struck out two and allowed just two hits in 3.2 innings.
He projects as a starter this season and trains accordingly.
"It's a lot more work. It's all about preparation, pretty much. I'll be in more games, a lot more pitches and innings. I have to be ready for that."
Last season under Mercer, IU unleashed the long-ball -- its school-record 95 home runs in 60 games ranked second nationally -- en route to a 37-23 record and the Big Ten championship.
This year, despite massive player losses (including top pitchers Pauly Milto, Andrew Saalfrank and Tanner Gordon, catcher Ryan Fineman, infielders Scotty Bradley and Cade Bunnell, and do-it-all Matt Lloyd), Bierman sees nothing but promise.
"We will have a great year."
Why not?
The Hoosiers have been perennial Big Ten contenders since moving into Bart Kaufman Field in 2013, and still have standouts such as Cole Barr and Elijah Dunham, preseason All-Big Ten choices.
A rebuilt pitching staff centers around Bierman, Tommy Sommer and Cal Krueger, with returners Connor Manous, Braydon Tucker and Grant Sloan positioned for bigger roles. Impact also could come from a solid newcomer group.
"I won't say rebuild because we're ready," Bierman says. "We have a lot of experience. A number of guys will play a factor. We're going to be pretty good."
Baseball America and D1 Baseball project IU to finish fourth in the Big Ten. Michigan is the favorite with a No. 8 national ranking. Ohio State and Minnesota also are picked ahead of Indiana.
Bierman says the Hoosiers are steeled for the upcoming challenges.
"I went through a lot," he says, "but these guys have gone through a lot, as well.
"We'll be there. We have so many good leaders who are going to lead these guys to so many good things."
The Hoosiers will get their first chance to prove it with a three-game season-opening series at No. 11 LSU starting on Feb. 14.
"We've been doing very well, working hard," Bierman says.
"We'll be ready."
Somewhere, you figure, so will Douglas Bierman.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The father is never far from the son, not where it matters, where it's always mattered.
Douglas Bierman played a huge role in son Gabe's development into a potential Indiana starting pitcher, and still does.
Death ended nothing.
"I never put it to the side," the younger Bierman says. "I always think about him. I use it as motivation. It keeps me going, keeps me working hard so I can be the kind of person I want to be."
When the elder Bierman passed away last May, the best way to honor him was to do what they both loved.
Play baseball.
So Gabe pitched two days after his father's death, and kept going, kept working, because that was the only way to get through it, rise above it, turn tragedy into celebration.
Bierman earned a three-inning save at Rutgers in that inspiring performance, getting the final out to clinch IU's Big Ten title.
In the aftermath coach Jeff Mercer praised Bierman's "incredible resiliency and toughness," saying his pitcher's transformation from struggling freshman to reliable reliever, was "incredible" and "one of the better ones I've seen in my coaching career."
Eight months later, beneath a gray February sky at Bart Kaufman Field, Bierman finds perspective.
"It was exciting and heart-warming and pretty bittersweet. I was thinking about him. It kind of sucked (that his father wasn't there to see it), but at the same time, I did it for him, for the team. That will always stick with me."
Through it all, he never considered leaving the team.
"I could never step away," he says. "I just kept going."
In so many ways, Bierman still is.
"It's about fighting through adversity. I love this game too much. I'll always be around it."
Now comes a new season and opportunity, and the foundation remains rooted in relationships, those forged by birth and Big Ten battles.
Hoosier teammates were there for Bierman after his father's death, and still are, a bond that reflects the best of team sports.
"It's a brotherhood," Bierman says. "We all stick together.
"The support from those guys, as soon as it happened, they never left my side. I'm not going to leave their side."
Bierman is a man who sticks to his word. He knew early he wanted to be a Hoosier. He committed during his Jeffersonville High School freshman season in southeastern Indiana. He never wavered in that decision while having an outstanding prep career that included tying the school record for most strikeouts in a game (15) and playing on a sectional title team as a senior.
Last year as a freshman, Bierman went 4-0 with two saves in 20 games. He had a 3.56 earned run average and struck out 46 in 48 innings while walking 18 Batters hit just .209 against him.
In a dominating show of potential, Gabe threw three perfect relief innings to earn his first career save at Michigan, the eventual national runner-up. He struck out the last eight batters he faced. That earned him Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
In a NCAA tourney win over UIC, Bierman struck out two and allowed just two hits in 3.2 innings.
He projects as a starter this season and trains accordingly.
"It's a lot more work. It's all about preparation, pretty much. I'll be in more games, a lot more pitches and innings. I have to be ready for that."
Last season under Mercer, IU unleashed the long-ball -- its school-record 95 home runs in 60 games ranked second nationally -- en route to a 37-23 record and the Big Ten championship.
This year, despite massive player losses (including top pitchers Pauly Milto, Andrew Saalfrank and Tanner Gordon, catcher Ryan Fineman, infielders Scotty Bradley and Cade Bunnell, and do-it-all Matt Lloyd), Bierman sees nothing but promise.
"We will have a great year."
Why not?
The Hoosiers have been perennial Big Ten contenders since moving into Bart Kaufman Field in 2013, and still have standouts such as Cole Barr and Elijah Dunham, preseason All-Big Ten choices.
A rebuilt pitching staff centers around Bierman, Tommy Sommer and Cal Krueger, with returners Connor Manous, Braydon Tucker and Grant Sloan positioned for bigger roles. Impact also could come from a solid newcomer group.
"I won't say rebuild because we're ready," Bierman says. "We have a lot of experience. A number of guys will play a factor. We're going to be pretty good."
Baseball America and D1 Baseball project IU to finish fourth in the Big Ten. Michigan is the favorite with a No. 8 national ranking. Ohio State and Minnesota also are picked ahead of Indiana.
Bierman says the Hoosiers are steeled for the upcoming challenges.
"I went through a lot," he says, "but these guys have gone through a lot, as well.
"We'll be there. We have so many good leaders who are going to lead these guys to so many good things."
The Hoosiers will get their first chance to prove it with a three-game season-opening series at No. 11 LSU starting on Feb. 14.
"We've been doing very well, working hard," Bierman says.
"We'll be ready."
Somewhere, you figure, so will Douglas Bierman.
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