Former Demons TJ Rauch (left) and Jared Henry teamed up to coach the Washington Demon middle school baseball program this summer. Photos courtesy of Cornell College Athletics.

Two former Washington Demon baseball players spent their summer in their old stomping grounds helping to start the district’s first year middle school program.

TJ Rauch and Jared Henry, both 2012 graduates of Washington High School, are weeks away from starting their senior year at Cornell College in Mount Vernon. The pair were members of Washington’s back-to-back trips to the state tournament in 2011 and 2012, and both completed their junior seasons with the Rams’ baseball team this past spring.

The two took on a new challenge this summer, working under their former high school baseball coach Nathan Miller and led Washington’s new middle school baseball program. “Both guys are looking at a future in coaching.” Miller said, “This not only gives us two excellent leaders in developing our young kids, but it also gives them the experience they need to move forward in coaching.”

The middle school team, consisting of 17 seventh graders, went 16-4 in their inaugural season of the program. Henry says he taught a lot of advanced aspects to the game, “Whether it would be steals, pick offs, bunting situations, first and third situations.” Henry said, “Things you don’t necessarily see at the Cal Ripkin or lower levels of baseball”

Rauch and Henry, along with 2014 Washington graduate Walker Breard, helped lead the Cornell College to a 19-22 overall campaign in 2015, falling one game short of a trip to the NCAA Division III baseball tournament.

Hear an interview with Rauch and Henry on the PM Sports Page, tonight at 6 p.m. on AM and FM KCII and KCIIRadio.com.