Cam Roper stood in amazement while his star Matt Pappalardo could only smile ear to ear. Methuen’s dream tournament run includes a final four.

Pappalardo threw six innings of two-run ball while also belting the go-ahead RBI triple as No. 21 Methuen advanced to the Div. 1 state semifinals with a stunning, 4-2 win over No. 4 Central Catholic on Sunday afternoon at Haverhill Stadium.

Methuen, which has won three straight road games, will take on No. 1 Franklin for a spot in the state final.

“I haven’t slept in two weeks,” said Roper, the Rangers head coach. “Look at our guys. Cinderella. Snow White. Call us whatever you want. We’re a hell of a baseball team.”

The highly anticipated matchup between Merrimack Valley Conference foes entered the sixth deadlocked 2-2. Methuen, however, jumped in front. Owen Kneeland led off the top of the frame with a single, setting up an opportunity for Pappalardo. The Rangers’ best hitter blasted a triple to deep right center to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead.

Later in the inning Methuen grabbed insurance when Owen Sullivan scampered home on a passed ball. Now in front, Pappalardo spun his best inning, striking out the side in the sixth before Sullivan came in as the Rangers’ established closer and fanned three to start the celebration.

“This is different from anything else I’ve been able to experience,” Pappalardo said. “Our energy has been high. We’re together as a team. It’s been so much fun.”

Both Pappalardo and Central Catholic starter Josh Florence cruised through the first two innings but the Rangers jumped in front in the third when Kneeland grounded a two-run single to right to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.

One half-inning later the Raiders evened the score as Will Norris hit an infield RBI single before Nate Kearney connected on an RBI groundout to tie the game 2-2. Pappalardo, however, worked out of trouble in the 4th and induced a double play in the fifth to send the game to the sixth even.

After starting the season 1-7 the Rangers are now headed to the Final Four, a run reminiscent of Xaverian (2012) and Norwood’s (2016) state championship years where both entered the tournament with .500 records.

“We feel we can compete with anyone. We needed to put together some clean baseball games,” Roper said. “Earlier we were more of a divided team but now we’re playing together and the kids are showing what they can do.”