The Menlo baseball team defeated visiting San Mateo 5-4 in a PAL-Ocean Division game Tuesday.

The Knights (17-9 overall) move to 9-4 PAL-Ocean, second to Woodside, which had a 10-2 mark heading into its last series. Aragon is 7-5.

Menlo built a four-run lead in the third before San Mateo drew to within 1. The Knights got on the board after sophomore Jack Freehill started the rally with an RBI double. Senior Mikey McGrath tripled on a fly ball to right-center to drive in Freehill and junior Luke Rogers, who singled. With two out, sophomore Renner Barnett singled to score McGrath and Menlo led 4-0.

San Mateo answered with a three-run fourth then starting RHP Ryan Schnell and the Knights quieted the Bearcats’ bats.

In the sixth, Menlo turned a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play: Freehill to Rogers to Salama. Schnell picked up the complete-game victory allowing three earned runs, nine hits while striking out five and walking none.

The Knights added an insurance run in the sixth when junior Luke Rogers hit a line drive then sophomore Jackson Flanagan, who walked, scored on the ensuing error.