Colleges

Gator golfer Code's condition improving

By SCOTT PURKS
Published March 9, 2005

University of Florida golfer Mallory Code breathed on her own Monday evening in a Denver hospital, weeks or even months before doctors thought was possible.

Code, a 20-year-old Carrollwood native who received national acclaim as a junior golfer, has suffered for weeks with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome, pneumonia and blood clots. The recent trouble was brought on by complications from diabetes and cystic fibrosis, the latter of which she has battled since birth.

For now, though, the news is positive, her father Brian Code said.

"The doctors were telling us late last week that it might be three weeks to three months before she would get off the ventilator (a machine that breaths for a patient)," Brian Code said. "So when I got this call on Monday it was so uplifting. She's fighting hard. She's been quite an inspiration."

Sister Whitney and brother Jordan joined their father and mother, Karen, last week in Denver, though Mallory was unable to speak or move her limbs because of lines and tubes around her body.

On Sunday, Brian Code left Denver for work in Tampa, feeling better about his daughter's prospects. On Monday he became elated when, minutes after the ventilator was removed, Mallory whispered over the phone to her father in Tampa that the ventilator was, "Gone."

"Now we're expecting her to go through rehabilitation to regain her strength and clear up these other problems for the next six to eight weeks," Brian Code said. "We're thinking we won't have as much drama as we've had the last few weeks." BASEBALL: Jon Still's two-run double in the bottom of the seventh snapped a 5-5 tie and lifted Stetson to a 7-6 victory over South Florida. The Hatters (10-5) won for the sixth time in their last seven games. ... Junior Lee Cruz belted a home run in each of his first three at-bats and scored five runs, tying school records for homers and runs scored in host Tampa's 22-10 victory over St. Anselm. ... Tampa outfielder Orlando Rosales was named SSC Player of the Week for his performance in the Spartans' three-game sweep of Rollins. ... Saint Leo (11-9) handed Shippensburg (9-5) a 1-0 defeat. ... Florida pitchers surrendered just four hits in the Gators' 8-1 home win over North Carolina-Asheville (3-6). ... Miami (14-4) won 3-0 at home over Pittsburgh (5-3). ... Host Eckerd (8-13) beat Concordia College-New York (4-8) 9-6.

FOOTBALL: South Carolina defensive lineman Moe Thompson surrendered to Columbia, S.C., police. Thompson and teammate Kevin Mainord broke into at least one dorm room and took several items, including a TV, police said.

SOFTBALL: USF (16-12) scored 10 in the sixth to beat Temple (5-11) 13-5 in six. ... Host Tampa (10-10, 2-5 SSC) lost to Florida Tech 4-0.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

[Last modified July 3, 2005, 11:39:00]