Andy Van Hekken, the left-handed ace of the Nexen Heroes competing in the South Korean baseball championship series, is about to do something he‘s never done in his three-year career in the KBO -- pitch on three days’ rest.

Van Hekken is scheduled to start Game 4 of the ongoing Korean Series against the Samsung Lions on Saturday. He started the opening game of the best-of-seven series Tuesday, when he got a no-decision in the Heroes‘ 4-2 victory.

On the eve of his start, Van Hekken said he feels physically and mentally ready for the task.

“I feel really good. I’ve felt pretty good all year,” said Van Hekken, who led the KBO with 20 wins in the regular season.

“I don‘t know what I will feel like once the game starts. My body will be in kind of shock over being on short rest. But I am sure I will be ready to go.”

Van Hekken will be under pressure to deliver the goods for a team with a thin starting rotation.

Henry Sosa, who struggled in a losing effort in Game 2 on Wednesday, is slated to start Game 5 for the Heroes.

Sosa‘s inconsistency and the lack of a viable No. 3 starter puts that much more pressure on Van Hekken, but the soft-spoken 35-year-old seems undaunted by the prospect of taking the mound with the Heroes’ fate hanging in the balance.

“It will be a big game, but they‘re all big games (in the Korean Series),” he said. “I am just going to do the same kind of things I’ve been doing. I try not to put too much pressure on myself and do what I can do.”

Van Hekken has already proven his mettle in the postseason heat.

In Game 1, he held the Lions to two runs over six innings and struck out six. The only blemish was a two-run home run by Yamaico Navarro with no outs in the third, but Van Hekken retired the next 12 batters in order before handing things over to the bullpen.

Two relief pitchers, setup man Cho Sang-woo and closer Son Seung-lak, combined for three scoreless innings for the victory, and Van Hekken said he‘d like to see the same formula at work Saturday.

“Hopefully, I can pitch well and do what I did the last time, and give the team a chance to win,” he said.

“I came out of the game when it was tied and our relievers did a great job of holding them to two runs, and we were able to get the lead and get the win.”

Van Hekken said although he’s never pitched on three days‘ rest in the KBO, he’s pitched often on four days‘ rest and the experience should help him.

“Even if I am a little tired, I am sure adrenaline will kick in a little bit and get me through.” (Yonhap)