Baseballparks.com, a website devoted to the game’s facilities, has named Bayfront Stadium, home of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, its “2012 Ballpark of the Year.”

The Wahoos’ home field is the 13^th new stadium to receive the annual award, beating out all new and renovated facilities in professional baseball, including Marlins Park in Miami and the Boston Red Sox complex in Lee County, runners-up to Bayfront Stadium for the award. All three projects were designed by Populous – formerly HOK Sport.

Aaron Noll, one of the Populous architects who worked directly on the facility, said the new park “has become a proud icon of the city of Pensacola. With the best outfield view in all of minor league baseball and a top-notch operations staff, this ballpark will continue to serve its city well for years to come.”

Added Populous Principal David Bower, “This is a success story of how to create a great ballpark unique to the Pensacola community while being mindful of the city’s vision for future economic development.”

Populous now has won seven “Ballpark of the Year” awards, more than any other architectural firm.

Site webmaster Joe Mock in a news release said the honor is awarded annually to the new baseball stadium with the best combination of superior design, attractive site selection and fan amenities. The plaque representing the award will be presented by Mock at a Blue Wahoos home game in April of next season. Mock’s full review of Pensacola Bayfront Stadium can be found at baseballparks.com/Pensacola-1.asp.

Niceville High School will retire Taylor Haugen’s No. 80 jersey at a ceremony of tonight’s season-opening game against East Gadsden High School. Haugen, a former Niceville football player, died after a hit to the body he suffered against Fort Walton Beach in a preseason game in 2008. He was 15.

The Taylor Haugen Foundation was created to honor Taylor’s memory. It provides grants, education and funding to athletic teams, schools and districts through its YESS (Youth Equipment for Sports Safety) Program. The foundation also recognizes and supports outstanding scholar-athletes with scholarships and awards.

Haugen’s jersey is the first to be retired by Niceville.

Tonight’s game at Eagle Stadium begins at 7 p.m.

Navarre High School’s volleyball Raiders won three close sets Thursday at Pensacola – 25-22, 27-25, 25-21 – to win their second match in two nights and improve their record to 2-0 overall and in Class 6A, District 1.

Allison Freer had 14 digs and a pair of service aces, Kelsey Belmain added nine kills, 13 digs and three aces and Kelly Barrett successfully set 24 assists to lead the Raiders’ effort. Sarah Betts had eight kills and six digs, Shamani Booker added seven kills and five digs and Miranda Gagnon chipped in four kills and seven digs against the Tigers.

The Raiders beat Milton on Wednesday in four sets, 25-16, 25-11, 17-15, 25-22.

Navarre is scheduled to host Cantonment-Tate’s freshmen, junior varsity and varsity teams beginning at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The Navarre High School volleyball Raiders won their season- and home-opening match against Milton on Wednesday in four sets.

Playing a day later than originally scheduled because of Hurricane Isaac, Navarre beat the Panthers 25-16, 25-11, 17-25, 25-22 at the NHS Gym. Allison Freer had 30 digs to pace the Raiders’ defense and added four kills, Shamani Booker had 12 digs and five kills, Sarah Betts added nine digs and nine kills, and Kelsey Belmain and Ansley Mathews added eight and four kills, respectively.