Lawrence High's Drew Hulse pitches against Olathe East. Hulse pitched in relief of starter Daniel Green, who earned the win against Olathe East in the first round of the Kansas 6A state baseball tournament on Friday in Wichita.

Lawrence's Jordan Guntert throws into second as Tony Williams backs him up during their game against Olathe East at the Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Lawrence defeated Olathe East, 10-6, Friday evening.

Lawrence's pitcher Drew Hulse goes to catch the ball and throw to first base during the final inning against Olathe East at the Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Lawrence defeated Olathe East, 10-6, Friday evening.

Wichita ? After umpires ejected Nick DeBiasse from the last game of regionals, the Lawrence High baseball team did not know until Wednesday if Sunflower League officials would allow its cleanup slugger to participate during the first round of the 6A state tournament.

For LHS it’s a good thing the higher-ups relented.

The senior went 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs to power LHS past Olathe East, 10-6, during Friday’s first round of state at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.

“I would’ve hated to miss that one,” said DeBiasse, who collided with Free State High’s Alex Hardman last Thursday, putting his playing status in jeopardy. “It’s my first opportunity to play in a state game, and I made the best of it.”

The first baseman helped the Lions defeat No. 2-seeded Olathe East, which previously this season beat No.7-seeded LHS, 6-5.

“That’s an absolute monster win,” LHS coach Brad Stoll said.

The upset becomes more impressive when one considers how the Lions treated East pitcher Colton Murray like a ragdoll.

“He was throwing his fastball, which is his best pitch,” DeBiasse said. “We just happened to turn him around.”

The Division-I-quality pitcher entered the game with a 7-0 record, but the Lions attacked him from the beginning, scoring two runs in the first inning.

Once Murray’s team fell behind, he began to overthrow, leading to four hit-by-pitch at-bats.

“To get up on him early was very key,” Stoll said. “He started to be a little uncomfortable.”

The Lions’ Daniel Green was another key, going five innings for the win and effectively throwing pitches inside to lefthanders. Afterwards Green signed an autograph for a child in the stands.

“That’s the first time it’s happened to me,” he said. “That’s pretty fun.”

LHS also enjoyed the game-breaking five-run fourth inning. Chase Muder and Aaron Rea reached by hit-by-pitch plays, Daniel Parker singled, Travis Sanders reached on an error and Jordan Guntert singled. Then Murray left a fastball too high, and DeBiasse delivered a 405-foot blast to center.

“You knew right off the bat that thing was outta here,” Stoll said. “That was a blast.”

The bleeding could have become worse, but umpires surprisingly ruled that Muder missed the plate when racing home.

“That was a questionable call,” DeBiasse said.

Other notable performances included Guntert, who notched three hits and three RBIs, and Rea, who reached base three times after East pitchers plunked him. One fan jokingly yelled out, “Aaron Baylor,” an allusion to former major-leaguer Don Baylor, who used to reach base the same way. The Lions, though, practice that skill. If any LHS player shies away from contact, Stoll removes him from batting practice.

“If our guys move out of the way, they’re done,” Stoll said. “It’s pounded into them that that’s a cheap way to get on base.”

The five hit-by-pitches and three errors accounted for an unusually sloppy performance for the Hawks (19-4).

The Lions (14-8) looked much more composed, answering every East rally with one of their own. They also displayed their camaraderie with several players, shaving their heads for team unity.

“They’re trying to imitate my receding hairline,” Stoll said.

Dorian Green will take the mound as Lawrence High will play Blue Valley West at 12:30 p.m. today.

With No. 8-seeded Blue Valley Northwest taking out top-seeded Goddard, the state bracket has opened nicely for the Lions to make a deep postseason run.

“This thing is wide open now,” Stoll said. “If you get in that second day, anything can happen.”