By MATT SCHUCKMAN

Herald-Whig Sports Writer

Since practicing medicine doesn't appear to be in Andrew Moulton's future, maybe practicing diplomacy ought to be.

Asked who was the better baseball player -- he or his identical twin brother, Nathan -- Andrew offered a tactful, non-controversial response.

"We're each better at our specific positions," said the Quincy High School senior catcher, who is undecided about his college major. "And we're pretty good at being utility players."

Then he paused.

"But I'd like to see him catch," Andrew said.

In fact, Nathan has, although Andrew remembers it happening only once when the two played in the YMCA leagues.

"I told him not to hurt himself," Andrew said with a chuckle. "I don't think he's ever tried it again."

He's never had to. With Andrew as his backstop, Nathan developed into a quality right-handed pitcher who entered this season as the ace of the QHS staff.

An elbow injury has limited his innings and he'll likely be a designated hitter when the Blue Devils (2-16) face crosstown rival Quincy Notre Dame (12-7) at 6:30 tonight at the QHS field.

"It's been tough," Nathan said of the injury and the Blue Devils' struggles. "You go out there hoping things will turnaround. There's still time."

Fostering a hope-is-not-lost attitude is the Moultons' chief responsibility.

"They've been there every day," QHS coach Randy Mettemeyer said. "Andrew has done a great job defensively. He's really handled our pitching staff well. Nathan has been there and supported his teammates. He's really fighting it with the injury. He wants to be out there.

"They have stayed committed. You want that out of your seniors."

Mettemeyer wouldn't have expected anything less.

"They are better young men than they are ballplayers," Mettemeyer said.

Which explains why he's never had to worry about twin hijinks.

"When we played at the YMCA in fourth, fifth or sixth grade, we had fun with our coach, switching jerseys and stuff," said Nathan, who started at third base before the injury. "That was the extent of it."

That's because the focus was entirely on the game and their family.

The Moultons spent their summers traveling from diamond to diamond watching their older sister, Erin, become one of the region's top softball pitchers. Erin led Quincy Notre Dame to a Class A state tournament appearance in 2001 and developed into one of the Great Lakes Valley Conference's top hurlers by her senior season at Quincy University.

Influenced by his sister, Nathan decided to give pitching a chance.

"One day, I grabbed the ball and told Andrew to get down and I'd pitch to him," he said.

They became comfortable in those roles.

"I really did like catcher," said Andrew, who has pitched in a relief role this season. "And from there, Nathan took an interest in pitching."

It's made for a unique battery.

"It works because of the familiarity," Mettemeyer said. "Andrew knows when Nathan is struggling on the mound. You hear him say some things. If Nathan gives up a couple hits or a couple walks, Andrew can settle him down.

"The camaraderie they have being brothers shows through."

It's a level of trust few others could have.

"There's definitely a connection there where I feel comfortable," said Nathan, who plans to attend Westminster College in Fulton, Mo., next year along with his brother. "I trust him. I feel I can throw any pitch any time. He's just a wall back there. There's a comfort there that's not really replaceable. He can do the thinking and all I have to do is throw."

That works. Well, most of the time.

"We've had our moments on the field," Andrew said. "I usually end up telling him he should have listened. There are things a catcher can see that a pitcher can't. Sometimes he'll disagree with me on some things. Not often, but sometimes.

"He's been right a couple times, too. I have to give him that."

Right or wrong, there's no one he'd rather catch.

"That's a teammate you know you will always have," Andrew said.

-- mschuckman@whig.com/221-3366