In some examples, a method for densifying a material via pitch comprises inserting the material to be densified into a mold, wherein the mold is part of an apparatus. The apparatus may include a ram configured to apply a ram pressure sufficient to force a pitch into the mold to densify the material, a gas source configured to apply a gas pressure sufficient to force the pitch into the mold to densify the material, and a vacuum source operable to create a vacuum pressure in the mold at least prior to application of either the ram pressure or the gas pressure. The method may further comprise densifying the material in the mold via pitch using a selectable one of the ram, the gas source, the ram and the vacuum source, or the gas source and the vacuum source.