A recent viral video circulating across various social media platforms showed Zak Whalin, a baseball player for the Savannah Party Animals of the Coastal Plains League, record a hit with his bat on fire (literally). Southern Nash High junior Landen Baker has not used a flaming bat this season, but opposing pitchers could be forgiven for wondering if that was the case after facing him.

Baker has had a scorching (metaphorically) bat all season, and has even etched his name in the NCHSAA record books with his exploits.

In a 13-0 Southern Nash win over 2-A/3-A Big East Conference foe Bunn on April 12, Baker bashed three home runs, two of which were grand slams, and drove in 10 runs. He’s the 12th player in NCHSAA history, according to the association’s official record book, to hit two grand slams in a game and the 10 RBIs are tied for the second most in a single game.

“It’s pretty cool just to have it in there and you never know who’s ever looking at it in the future,” Baker said.

Baker started off his record-tying night with a two-run homer in the top of the first inning before hitting his bases-loaded jacks in the fourth and fifth.

“After my first at-bat, I just felt comfortable,” Baker said. “I was seeing it well, because it was a smaller ballpark so I was just putting some swings on it and feeling comfortable. I just kept going.”

When the NCHSAA’s record book is updated following the 2022 season, months, years and even decades into the future, any baseball scribe who looks at the record will see Baker’s name among the list of players who have hit multiple salamis in a single game.

That list includes a former Firebird, Ricky Howard, who did it against Louisburg in 2002. It also includes Kyle Pittman of Hunt, who accomplished the feat, ironically, against Southern Nash in 2010.

“There’s a lot of really good ball players that are on those records, guys that played in college, played in the pros,” said Southern Nash head coach Todd Brewer. “…So it’s definitely neat to see him in there, to always be in there, and it’s something to hang your hat on as a player. Hopefully it’s something that he’s proud of now and as he looks back, he’ll be even more proud of it.”

Baker has been far from a one, or in this case, three, hit wonder this season, however. He’s been driving the ball out of the park at a prolific rate, as his nine home runs on the season lead Southern Nash, are tied for fifth in the state of North Carolina and 17th nationally, according to maxpreps.com.

Baker also has 22 hits, a .407 batting average and has driven in 29 runs, also tops on the Firebirds and tied for 14th in North Carolina.

Baker is an Atlanta Braves fan, and said that, while his favorite player is Dansby Swanson, he tries to model his game after former Braves legendary first baseman Freddie Freeman.

Baker also plays varsity football and basketball at Southern Nash. He took the 2021 fall season off from football to focus on baseball, but plans to return to the gridiron this year. He also plays travel ball for Dirtbags Baseball in Burlington.

Baker credited his production to his offseason work, his focus on baseball and also his approach of simply trying to produce a positive outcome for his team anytime he touches a ball or bat.

“I would say I bring energy,” Baker said. “And then really just overall,even if I’m not hitting, I’m doing something to make sure we win as many games as possible. That’s on the mound or in the field or at the plate.”

The Elm City native has been a key cog for a Southern Nash team that currently sits second in the Big East Conference with 166 runs on the season.

“With the year he’s having, he’s been our horse, that’s for sure,” Brewer said. “When he’s on the mound, pitching, our guys feel like they can beat anybody. He’s had a really good year out there at the plate. He’s one of our biggest bats. So he’s putting together a year that it’s hard to even compare just how impressive he’s been. You’ve gotta credit his teammates, they’ve been hitting around him to keep teams from being able to pitch around him. They’ve protected him in the lineup and they get on base to allow him to have an opportunity to drive in the runs and to bank the hits that he has.”

In addition to his blistering season at the plate, Baker has also been the Firebirds’ top pitcher, as he currently sports a 7-1 record with a miniscule 0.63 ERA, and has struck out 77 batters and walked just 11 in 44 ⅔ innings for Southern Nash.

For a Firebirds team that currently sits 14-4 overall and 10-3 in conference play, Baker has been a clutch performer both on the mound and at the plate, elevating his game the bigger the moment gets.

“He’s got a great attitude,” Brewer said. “He loves the game. He’s in great shape. He has really worked out and worked hard to prepare himself for the season. He’s got that attitude of he wants the ball, he wants to be at the plate. He wants to be that guy in the important moment, or the big moment with the game on the line. He thrives in that position. And he doesn’t back away from it. For all the homeruns and the hits he’s had and stuff like that, a lot of them come at a really big time in big games we’ve had this year, which makes him all that more impressive.”

While he’s not sure which yet, Baker hopes to play either baseball or football in college, and has already spoken to a couple NCAA Division-1 schools about baseball.

For now, his focus remains on the Firebirds and the strong season he and his teammates are having, and the joy it’s brought him.

“It’s been different this season than any other school ball season,” Baker said. “...I just think the team chemistry is great. Everybody’s just having a lot of fun. We don’t really work. We get serious when we need to, but we have a lot of fun.”

Southern Nash is currently second in the Big East behind Northern Nash, and will play the Knights twice next week to close out the regular season. The team should be assured of a berth in the NCHSAA playoffs, and could host depending on how they finish the year.

If the Firebirds are going to capture the conference crown and/or make a run in the state playoffs, they’re going to need more big games from Baker. If his season so far is any indication, he’s prepared to give them exactly that.