Fair or foul, in or out? The lines of demarcation vary from sport to sport -- Tuesday Cardinal Couple

PLAYING LINES MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS IN DIFFERENT SPORTS

Note: Kansas State has announced the addition of Megan Deines to their roster

If Asia Durr dribbles the ball on the baseline in a game here at Louisville over her next four years, a sharp-eyed referee will blow the whistle and award possession to the opposing team. If she were playing baseball for Dan McDonnell and hit a ball over the left field fence and it touched the foul pole and skirted left of it, though, into foul territory...she would be awarded a home run.

That scenario (not for Durr...obviously) happened last night in Louisville Baseball's 4-3 loss to Cal State Fullerton. 

Cal-Full batter David Olmedo-Barerra lifted a deep shot toward the left field foul pole to start the 11th inning last night and the ball appeared to go foul as it passed the left field pole.

The umpire signalled home run. A replay showed it touched the pole on its way out of the field, though...and that is a home run...even though it went foul after hitting the pole. 

Oh, those crazy lines and boundaries in sports! If Louisville lacrosse's Kaylin Morissette hurls a goal attempt at the net and it bounces off the pole and goes wide...nice try but no goal. Put Louisville football place-kicker John Wallace on the field and hitting the post is not enough on a field goal try...the ball must go through the uprights. If Louisville quarterback Reggie Bonafon scrambles with the ball and gets the pigskin over the goal-line, it is a touchdown...even if it rolls out of bounds immediately after breaking the plane...unless he touches the side-line first. 

Side, end-zone, plane, bag and pole. Lions and Tigers and Bears...oh, my! 

Here goes Taja Cole taking a three. Uh, oh...foot was on the arc line...it's just a two. What a serve by Katie George!!!...but the ball touched the back line. Bad thing? Nope. Ace to Katie! 

Lines and women's sports...they mean different things. No lines in golf that we know of (except lining up a putt) and lines in rowing and track signal the lane you are in or the end of the race. If Emmonnie Henderson hurls the discus down the field, she has to be careful not to step out of the circle or throw it over the out-of-bounds lines. 

Then there's the whole scenario of lines, circles and arcs in field hockey, soccer and lacrosse that can create unassisted penalty shots, fouls and changes of possession. We'll save those for another possible article...and it will be a long one if we do attempt it. 

The "out-of-bounds" line...for the most part...means just that. If the ball or player touches it, the ball or player are usually considered out-of-bounds. Except in volleyball, softball and lacrosse. And, in certain circumstances...even that has two different rulings. 

I need an aspirin. Or a video replay...

How well do you know the rules? Here's three questions. You can leave your answers (or guesses) in the comments section. If you get all three right, call the NCAA Officials office. They could use you...

We'll put the correct choices in tomorrow's column.

1) Basketball's Mariya Moore is at the free throw line for free throws. She shoots and hits the first one. Her left foot goes over the line as the ball is in the air. It touches down over that line before the ball goes through the hoop. Count the point or not? 

2) Softball's Jordan McNary lays down a slap bunt and the ball slowly rolls down the first base line starting in fair territory. She reaches the bag before the ball rolls foul. The ball doesn't reach the bag before it goes foul. Base hit or foul ball? 

3) Volleyball's Janelle Jenkins goes flying after a ball returned by the opponent and she puts it back into play after she crosses the out-of-bounds sideline. Play on, point for Louisville since the ball went out of bounds or point for the opponent since she touched it out-of-bounds? 

We'll draw a line in the sand, mark our boundaries, toe the line, cross the plane, stand beyond the arc, take to the stripe, enter the circle and hit the sidelines until tomorrow...

Be sure to vote in our poll on the Right Side of The Site for your top eight Louisville WBB players of all time. 

And stay in-bounds...
paulie
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