With a sidewinding delivery, a sweeping slurve and sinking fastball, Moniteau freshman pitcher Branson Carson was in complete control Tuesday evening.

The right-hander went four strong innings, striking out two, walking one and giving up just one hit — a single — as the Warriors' baseball team beat Redbank Valley, 6-3, at Michelle Krill Field at Historic Pullman Park.

“Our guys had trouble adjusting to his fastball,” said Redbank Valley coach Craig Hibell. “It had a little bit of movement and a little bit of sink they weren't quite seeing.”

Carson said he has always thrown with the unique arm angle.

The funky delivery gives him a degree of deception and has allowed him to make an impact already in his first season with the Warriors.

“I found I get a lot of power from that deliver,” Carson said. “It throws off the hitters' timing a little bit. It's how I learned to throw.”

It's effective.

It didn't take long for Moniteau senior catcher Jared Lominski to see that Carson had good stuff against Redbank Valley.

“He did what he was supposed to do,” Lominski said. “As a freshman, you don't expect that kind of leadership, but he came out and did the job. He threw a one-hitter and I couldn't be more pleased with him. He hit his spots. He might not be the fastest, but he can locate really well.

“With his sidearm motion, his stuff tails and hits that outside corner and moves in to hit the inside corner. He's a nice pitcher.”

And a surprising one.

Moniteau coach Ross Martin expected to rely on his big three on the mound in Hunter Fitzingo, Gage Neal and Chance Nagy.

Now he has a fourth arm he can put on the hill in a big game.

The Warriors gave their freshman some cushion early.

It was not a good start to the game for Redbank Valley pitcher Blaney Brooks.

His first pitch of the game hit Chance Nagy. His second pitch was laced into left field for a single by Fitzingo and his third pitch plunked Lominski.

Three pitches. Bases loaded.

All three came around to score for a 3-0 Moniteau lead after one inning.

“Brooks had a little issue with his finger early on, but he made an adjustment,” Hibell said.

Brooks lasted just two-plus innings before Hibell went to reliever Kobe Bonanno, who pitched four strong innings, giving up two runs on three hits.

“Moniteau is a good offensive team,” Hibell said. “When we got down a little bit, we wanted to give Bonanno a chance to get some work because he struggled a little bit in his only outing this year.”

Bonanno kept Redbank Valley in the game.

Moniteau led 5-0, getting a RBI single by Tyler McFadden in the third inning and a sacrifice bunt by Carson for a RBI, but the Bulldogs scored three in the sixth inning.

Moniteau added an insurance run in the bottom of the seven on a sacrifice fly by McFadden.

Fitzingo worked the seventh for the save.

“We started off hot and then I think we took our foot off the gas a little bit,” Lominski said. “We got lackadaisical. But we picked it back up and did what we were supposed to do.”

Redbank Valley 000 003 0 — 3 4 2

Moniteau 301 011 x — 6 5 2

W: Branson Carson 4IP (2K, 1BB). L: Blaney Brooks 2+IP (1K, 1BB). SV: Hunter Fitzingo 1IP (1K, 0BB)

Redbank Valley (4-4): Nick Smith 1B, Brooks 2-1B, Kobe Bonanno RBI, Austin Leasure 1B

Moniteau (7-3): Fitzingo 1B, Tyler McFadden 1B 2-RBI, Lee DeMatteis RBI, Gage Neal 1B, Tanner Williams 1B

Thursday: Clarion at Moniteau, 8 p.m. at Pullman Park