The Mustangs, as usual, were pretty good last night, as well as pretty fortunate. You don’t get to be 10-1 in the ulcer-inducing SPC and three games ahead of the pack by counting on serendipity. And East coach Jeff Safrit hasn’t won 200 games in just nine-plus years in Granite Quarry because he’s got a rabbit’s foot and a four-leaf clover hidden underneath his Mustang cap.

“You make mistakes and East beats you,” said Piedmont coach Milt Flow. “That’s why they’re usually on top.”

Flow felt sick about the game last night. He’ll feel sicker today. Piedmont (10-4, 8-4) went from fighting for first place to fighting for its playoff life in a crazier 48 hours than the one that starred Eddie Murphy. The Panthers were surprised by arch-rival Sun Valley 3-2 on Wednesday, then lost to the Mustangs, even though they outhit East and had a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning with senior Scott Manshack, one of the state’s top right-handers, on the hill.

“Manshack didn’t throw as hard as I’ve seen him throw it, said Safrit. “But he’d still beat most people, because he knows how to pitch.”

And Safrit knows Manshack as well as anyone.

“He’s pitched against us twice a year since his freshman year, plus some postseason games,” said Safrit.

The Mustangs prepared for the upper-80s heat of Manshack,who attracted at least three pro scouts to Staton Field, by having assistant coach Allen Wilson fire fastballs at them from 30 feet away.

“We got ready — maybe too ready,” said Safrit.

Maybe so. Most everything East (15-1 overall) hit hard off Manshack, who will attend UNC if he doesn’t sign a pro contract this summer, was jerked foul.

Meanwhile, Piedmont broke through for two runs against East pitcher Jeremy Teague (5-0) in the third and another in the fifth for a 3-0 lead. That put some serious pressure on East, which was already smarting from Wednesday’s surprise loss to West Rowan, its first setback of the season.

“We were down, but we were going to come back,” said East outfielder Brett Peiffer, Manshack’s summer league teammate on the Charlotte Sox. “We knew we had to leave everything on the field.”

Actually, it was Piedmont that started leaving things on the field in the fifth inning. Mostly baseballs that should have been caught.

With two outs and the bases empty in the fifth, Cal Hayes Jr. rapped a line single to center on a high fastball. Hayes scurried to third when the ball danced past the center fielder. After Drew Davis walked, Brian Hatley looped a single to finally put East on the board.

“That got us going,” said Safrit.

The next batter was Peiffer, who skied a ball for an apparent third out. Gravity took effect, but somehow the ball plunged to earth safely into medium center.

“No idea it would fall in until I was standing on second,” said Peiffer. “Coach said the center fielder was playing me in Rockwell.”

Courtesy runner Brent Lambert and Hatley scored on Peiffer’s hit to tie the game. Moments later, Peiffer scored the go-ahead run when Jonathan Heyer’s pop up to second base was out-and-out dropped. East had put together a huge four-run inning with one solid single, two bloops, a walk and two errors. Not exactly vintage East baseball, but no one wearing red was complaining.

“They made errors and we took advantage,” said Teague, who threw only 79 pitches, and used a sweet slider to toss a complete game. “Then the pressure was off us.”

But East would need one more huge break to finish this one.

Piedmont put its leadoff man on in the seventh. Then Flow called for a hit-and-run and Jonathan Lowe slapped a liner ticketed for right field. Fortunately for East, shortstop Hayes was covering second, not second baseman Justin Miller. Miller grabbed Lowe’s low liner and tossed to first baseman Andrew Barrier for a game-saving double play.

“Thank goodness, it was a left-handed hitter,” said Safrit.

“When he hit that ball, I said, ‘Well, that’s it,’’’ said Teague. “I thought it was tied up for sure, but Miller made a great play. I loved it, I loved it.”

Safrit loved it too. Loved the never-day-die comeback, loved the way Teague pitched, loved the way Miller came through at second. Loved the catch that Adam Cornelius somehow made near the dead-ball area in left field.

“As good a win as we’ve had all year,” Safrit sighed.