Meet the Staff

Phil Britton
618-388-1000
Owner/Instructor
Phil is a graduate of East Richland High School in Olney, IL.  Playing under Newburgh, IN native Andy Julian, Britton lettered 3 of his 4 years at East Richland High school, setting a single season home run record his senior year with 12. After graduating in 2003, Britton attended Olney Central Community College as a catcher under NJCAA Hall Of Fame coach Dennis Conley where he led all of NJCAA in RBI’s with 89.  Was 29th with a batting average of .426 and 10th in homeruns with 15. Britton was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 36th round in 2004, was named GRAC freshman of the year, and earned Second team NJCAA All-America honors. Following his 2004 freshman season, in the fall of ‘04, Britton signed a national letter of intent to play at the University of Kentucky. Britton finished his sophomore year at OCC 30th in NJCAA in batting average hitting .430 and 50th in homeruns with 10, earning First Team NJCAA honors. All- Region 24 team honors and All-Region tournament team honors followed both 2004 and 2005 seasons. After completing two years of JUCO baseball at Olney Central College, Britton elected to decline the offer the play at the University of Kentucky, and join the Atlanta Braves Organization.  Phil was a member of the Atlanta Braves organization from 2005 -2009, playing in the Gulf coast league(R), Appalachian league (short season A), South Atlantic League (-A), Hawaii Winter Baseball League (Major league Prospects league), Carolina League (+A), Grapefruit League (MLB) Southern League (AA) Eastern League (AA) International League (AAA) with the majority of his time being spent at the AA level.  In 2010, he spent the year with the Baltimore Orioles organization where he played at the A, AA, and AAA levels.  2011 was his last year playing professional baseball, spending the first half of the season playing in the American Association with the Fargo-Moorhead Red hawks, and finishing his career with Manager Andy McCauley and the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League.  Following his playing career, Phil began coaching with the 2016 Frontier League Champion Evansville Otters, and in 2012 opened Britton’s Bullpen Inc., a baseball/softball training facility in his hometown of Olney, IL. Britton’s Bullpen is the indoor training facility to the OCC Baseball and Softball teams, as well as local youth baseball and softball teams. Phil now focuses on instructing baseball and softball, and manages youth baseball traveling teams, working to help amateur players and parents not only showcase their ability, but also help them understand the processes of what it takes to advance in the game. 


Josh Wetzel
618-645-1679
Instructor
Hitting/fielding/baserunning
Josh Wetzel is a 2017 graduate of Brescia University.  He graduated with a bachelors degree in accounting while playing four years for the Bearcats.  Josh was a utility player, playing 2nd base, shortstop, 3rd base, right and left field.  Josh specialized in base running while playing for the Bearcats.  Josh was also a 2016 Ohio Valley League All-Star.  Before Brescia, Josh graduated from Massac County High school in Metropolis, IL.  He was a two time all conference award winner and his Senior year, he was nominated to the SIBCA All-South team.  Since graduating, Josh spent 8 months away from the game of baseball and has decided to give instruction at Britton’s Bullpen for love for the game and to help young athletes with their dreams of playing at the next level.


Erika Denton (Taylor)
(812) 480-3028
Softball: Pitching Instruction

Erika played softball for Boonville High School and was part of the 2006 State Championship team as well as the 2007 State Runner-up team.  She went on to play 4 years at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.  Below is her collegiate Bio from SIUE.  

2011: All-time leader in strikeouts with 272 … Finished collegiate career No. 2 in games started (112), No. 5 in shutouts (23) … No. 4 in innings pitched (729.1) … Collected 20 wins for first time in collegiate career her senior season … Her 272 strikeouts for season was second most in a season by a Cougar .. Led SIUE to Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in its first season of eligibility.

2010: Cougars No. 1 pitcher during the year…Enjoyed career-marks in every category…Finished 19-15 with a 2.93 earned run average…Tossed two no-hitters during the season, blanking Murray State and Indiana, becoming only the eighth player in school history to record multiple no-hitters in a season…Made 35 appearances, including 33 starts…Her 33 starts are the fourth-most in a single season in school history…Turned in 29 complete games during the season…Made six starts of eight innings or more, including back-to-back nine inning starts against Murray State and Southeast Missouri… Tossed 217.1 total innings during the season, the eighth-most in a single season in SIUE history…Collected double-digit strikeouts in a game four times, including a career-best 13 vs. Rhode Island…Finished the season with 196 strikeouts, the sixth-highest single-season total in school history….Already has 465 strikeouts for her career, leaving her tied for fourth all-time at SIUE…49 wins for her career is 10th-best all-time.

2009: Named to the NCAA Division I All-Independent first team … Won her first seven decisions of the season and finished with an 17-6 record … Her 1.22 earned run average placed her among the nation’s top 25 pitchers in Division I … Ended the season with 144 strikeouts, placing her 11th on the single-season strikeouts list … Fanned a season-high 13 batters against Kennesaw State … Tossed complete-game shutouts against Bryant, Wright State, and Central Arkansas … Did not allow an earned run in her last 21 innings of work … Added saves against Maine and IUPU-Indianapolis.

2008: Received All-Great Lakes Valley Conference third team honors … Completed the season with a 2.33 ERA … Threw 14 complete games including seven shutouts … Chalked up 125 strikeouts on the season … Appeared in 23 games starting in 18.

High School: Two time All-State selection, Two time All-Conference selection, and Southwestern Player of the Year at Boonville High School …. Helped Boonville to 2006 Indiana state softball championship … Four-year letter winner in softball and a two-year letter winner volleyball and soccer … National Honor Society Member … Played club softball for Easton Redline. Major: Business Administration.