Bellingham Bells catcher Chase Illig is the 2017 West Coast League Homerun Derby champion. It’s the second straight year a Bells slugger has won the long ball title with Illig following in the footsteps of 2016 champ Jake Vieth.
According to the Yakima Valey Herald, Illig beat out Hunter Vansau of Victoria and Taylor Wright of Kelowna to win the 2017 crown. Illig hit 3 homeruns in the final, Vanuatu and Wright both went deep twice at Yakima County Stadium.
Bellingham Bells catcher Chase Illig wins the 2017 West Coast League Home Run Derby in Yakima on July 17, 2017. Photo: Stephanie Morrell/Courtesy of the Bellingham Bells.
Illig totaed the most homeruns overall with 21. The West Virginia University star also won each of the three rounds in the competition.
Illig and four other Bellingahm Bells are on the North team roster for tonight’s WCL All-Star Game. Bellingham skipper Greg Getz will manage the North in the game scheduled for a 7:05pm first pitch at Yakima County Stadium.
(KPUG – Doug Lange: Information from the Yakima Valley Herald used in this story)
