Chase Illig to represent Bells in WCL Home Run Derby

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Bellingham Bells catcher Chase Illig. Photo: KPUG/Photo courtesy of the Bellingham Bells

Bellingham Bells catcher Chase illig will represent the Bellingham Bells in Monday’s West Coast League Home Run Derby in Yakima. The WCL announced the 10 derby participants over the weekend.

The 9 others include Lucas Denney (Yakima Valley Pippins), Nick Nyquist (Walla Walla Sweets), Evan Johnson (Wenatchee), Taylor Wright (Kelowna Falcons), Ian Nowak (Port Angeles Lefties), Hunter Vansau (Victoria HarbourCats), Collin Runge (Bend Elks), Devlin Granberg (Cowlitz Black Bears) and WCL home run leader Jordan Qsar (Corvallis Knights).

Qsar of Pepperdine leads the league in homers with 11 while Granberg of Dallas Baptist and Wright of Maryland are second in the WCL with 8 roundtrippers each.

MORE: Five Bellingham Bells Named to 2017 West Coast League All-Star Team

Illig leads Bellingham with 6 home runs on the year and is hitting .330 in 26 games. He joins four other Bells at the WCL All Star Game. Austin Shenton (First Base), Ernie Yake (Shortstop), Holden Powell (Pitcher), and Zach Pettway (Pitcher) will also take the field for the North Division. Bellingham skipper Greg Goetz will manage the North squad.

MORE: WCL All-Star Game rosters announced; Goetz to lead North squad

The Home Run Derby begins at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Yakima County Stadium, with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. It’s all part of All Star Fan Fest complete with a concert from Seattle’s Aaron Crawford and the introduction of all 43 All-Stars

The WCL All Star game is Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm.

(KPUG – Doug Lange via press release from the West Coast League)

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