PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Junior righthander Rhys Aldenhoven scattered six hits and pitched seven innings without allowing an earned run as No. 30 Pittsburgh (19-6) extended its winning streak to eight in a row with a 7-5 non-conference victory over Towson University (13-13) at Cost Field on Saturday afternoon, completing a three-game sweep over the Tigers.

The Panthers won the first two games of the series on Friday with a doubleheader sweep, beating Towson, 5-2 and 2-1 in 15 innings.

Aldenhoven allowed six hits with two walks and five strikeouts to post his fifth win of the season. He allowed three runs, all unearned as the Panthers came from behind to win.

Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead against Towson righthander Brandon Gonnella in the second inning. With one out, Steven Shelinsky drew a walk. When third baseman Sam Parente doubled to centerfield, Shelinsky advanced to third base. A single by catcher Elvin Soto plated Shelinsky with the first run of the game. Second baseman Ronald Sucre's sacrifice bunt drove in the second run before Oswald grounded out to end the inning.

The Tigers entered the top of the fourth inning looking for their first hit of the game. With two outs, third baseman Brendan Butler reached base on an error. A four-pitch walk to junior Kurt Wertz gave the Tigers two runners on base with two away. Then, junior Dominic Fratantuono picked an ideal time to break out of a slump as he launched a three-run homer over the rightfield fence to give Towson a 3-2 lead.

Gonnella protected the one-run lead until the bottom of the sixth inning. First baseman Eric Hess led off the sixth inning with a single and rightfielder Casey Roche followed with a single through the left side. When designated hitter Boo Vazquez singled to center, the Panthers had the bases loaded with no outs.

A bases-loaded walk to Shelinsky drove in the tying run and brought sophomore righthander Nick Cioffi out of the bullpen to relieve Gonnella. When Parente grounded out to shortstop, Roche scored the go-ahead run to give Pitt a 4-3 lead. After an intentional walk to Soto, Sucre grounded out to third base. Butler threw to home plate for the second out, retiring Vazquez. Cioffi pitched out of the jam by retiring Oswald on a fly ball to left.

The Tigers threatened to tie the game in the seventh when Richie Blosser and Pat Fitzgerald hit back-to-back singles with two outs. But Aldenhoven pitched out of trouble by striking out Zach Fisher.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Panthers added some insurance runs and it turned out that they would need them.

Parente led off with a single and pinch runner A.J. Lardo reached second base on a sacrifice bunt. Lardo advanced to third base when Sucre grounded out. After an intentional walk to Oswald, Cioffi gave up a two-run triple to centerfielder Steven Vranka, upping the lead to 6-3. An RBI single by Hess gave Towson a 7-3 advantage before junior righthander Nik Nowottnick came out of the bullpen to retire the side.

Trailing by 7-3 in the ninth inning, the Tigers made a bid to tie the game. Sophomore Peter Bowles led off with a single to centerfield. However, Kurtis Voytell grounded into a double play. Junior shortstop Hunter Bennett kept the inning alive when he reached on an infield error. Blosser kept the inning alive with an infield hit before second baseman Pat Fitzgerald singled to center, driving in a run to make it 7-4. When senior Andrew Parker delivered an RBI single, the Tigers pulled to within 7-5. But, Butler grounded out to end the game.

Pittsburgh outhit Towson by a 12-10 margin as Roche contributed three hits.

Blosser led the Tigers with the first three-hit game of his college career. Fratantuono had two hits and drove in three runs.