Union High School first year baseball manager Doug Kriebel is banking on that adage for the 2008 season.

“Pitching is going to be key,” said coach Kriebel.

The top pitcher for the Golden Knights will be senior A.J. Ethriedge.

“He is very competitive on the mound,” said coach Kriebel. “He’s got several pitches.

“He’s the go-to guy.”

Right behind Ethriedge will be junior Travis Anthony, who was Union ’s number-two pitcher in 2007.

“Anthony is more of an off-speed, curveball (pitcher),” said Kriebel. “He uses that stuff to set up his fast ball. He’s got great control of what I call his ‘junk’ pitches.”

Also seeing time on the hill for the Golden Knights will be Neil Scott.

“(Neil) didn’t get a lot of pitching in last season,” said coach Kriebel. “So we are going to have to break him in slowly and get him some confidence.”

Union will have to replace 2007 second baseman Nate Boltz who graduated. Cameron Adams has the inside track for the Golden Knights’ second-sacker position.

“( Adams ) is very fundamentally sound,” said coach Kriebel. “He works hard, he seems to be a good leader; he communicates well, and I think you need that out of your infielders.”

Also in the running for the second-base job is Aaron Paulden. Paulden batted .336 last year for Union .

“If Cameron gets the second-base job,” said coach Kriebel, “Paulden will move to the outfield.

“(Paulden) will start (somewhere).”

Along with being the Golden Knights’ top-flight pitcher, Ethriedge will also be the starting shortstop. Ethriedge was the team’s top RBI man last season at the plate.

“A.J. is just a real good athlete,” said coach Kriebel. “No matter what sport he plays in he does well. He has just got a lot of athletic ability and he is a great competitor.”

Ethriedge was the all-KSAC shortstop in 2007.

Ethriedge’s brother D.J. will be back starting at third base for this season.

“D.J., he’s a tenth-grader, and he started as a freshman,” said Kriebel. “I am looking for big things out of him this year. I think last year was a year for a young guy to get the butterflies out of him and I think from what I have seen in practice so far this year he is really confident.

“I think he has a lot of potential for a young guy.”

When he is not pitching, Anthony will be the starting first baseman for the Golden Knights. Anthony was also the starting first baseman on last year’s club.

“(Anthony) is a very, very, very hard worker,” said coach Kriebel. “He focuses and works hard on everything he does.”

Behind the dish for Union in 2008 will be Kasey Kriebel. Kriebel is a four-year starter for the Golden Knights at the catcher position. Last year, he batted .312.

“(Kasey) is a very good leader,” said Kriebel. “He’s a great competitor.

“He and A.J., wherever we go (this season), they will take us. Kriebel will be our number-three hitter and A.J. will be our number-four hitter, so they will be our heart and soul.”

The outfield for Union will look different in 2008 with the absence of Bret Moore, who graduated.

Clay Burns will assume the duties in centerfield for the Golden Knights. Burns was the leading hitter for Union last season with a .382 average.

“(Burns) covers a lot of ground, which I think you need that out of your centerfielder,” said coach Kriebel. “He’s probably the fastest guy on the team.”

The left-field spot for Union will be occupied by Scott. Scott was the Golden Knight’s leftfielder in 2007 as well.

“I like (Neil’s) arm real well,” said Kriebel. “He has probably the naturally strongest arm on the team, and he is comfortable in (left) because he has played there forever.”

The spot in right field will be taken by either Adams or Paulden. Whichever one of those two is playing second base the other will be shipped to right field.

Even though this is Kriebel’s first year as manager, he doesn’t believe there is going to be too much of an adjustment for him to the players.

“I’ve had these kids since they were in T-ball,” said Kriebel. “I know them real well and they know me real well. These guys know me as well as they know anybody because we have been together the whole way through baseball.”

Union is coming off of a season where it posted a 10-8 record and was knocked out of the District 9 Class A playoffs by Elk County Catholic 15-0. Kriebel believes that even though his team is in a tough conference, the KSAC, they can improve on last season’s showing.

“(If we) play error-free baseball, (have) good pitching, and the never-say-die attitude these guys have will take them a long way against some tough competition,” said Kriebel.