FARGO, N.D.--North Dakota State head baseball coach Mitch McLeod today announced the signing of South African left-handed pitcher Shannon Ekermans to a National Letter of Intent to continue his education and play baseball at NDSU.

Ekermans, who played left field in three games for South Africa in the World Baseball Classic earlier this year, batted .222 (2-for-9) with two runs scored.

He did not pitch in the tournament, but worked 9 2/3 innings with a 3.72 ERA in the 2005 World Cup for South Africa.

Ekermans has played baseball all over the world with the South Africa junior national squad, including tournaments in the United States, Germany, Taiwan, Taipei, Italy and Netherlands.

He was one of five South African juniors invited to the 2005 Major League Baseball training academy in Trieste, Italy.

Ekermans, 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, graduated from Fairmont High School in Durbanville, Cape Town, South Africa. He intends to major in engineering at NDSU.

Ekermans is the seventh player to sign with North Dakota State this year. He joins infielder Ricky Hefflinger (Portland, Ore.), catcher Brendan O'Connor (Broadheadsville, Pa.) and pitcher/first baseman Ben Briesacher (New Market, Minn.) as the fourth high school player signed.

NDSU signed infielder/outfielder David Williams (Muskegon CC) and pitcher/third baseman Josh Rohrich (Iowa Lakes CC) in April. Switch-hitting shortstop Patrick Gaylord (Wharton County JC) inked during November's early signing period.

North Dakota State is 10-35 overall and will begin a four-game series at Western Illinois (22-30) on Friday.

The Bison are in their third year of a five-year NCAA reclassification from Division II to Division I.