Home-field advantage will look a lot different for Forest Hill baseball this year.

For the fourth time in the past five years, someone has stolen out of the ground the copper wiring that services the field's lights.

The culprit has not been identified.

It's an issue that isn't expected to be rectified until at least May, meaning that the Falcons have had to make a few late scheduling changes as the season gets underway.

Forest Hill won't have any nighttime home games. Every home game will take place at either 4 or 4:30 p.m.

And while it's certainly an inconvenience, head coach Russ Milliken isn't going to let it spoil his 39th and final year coaching — 29 of them at Forest Hill.

“To be quite honest with you, I talked to the boys about how we have a distinct advantage,” Milliken said. “We know what time means, so we practice with urgency.

It's a unique silver lining in the face of a challenge — one that is willing the team to work efficiently, not just hard.

“While everyone else can take their time at practice, we can't,” Milliken said. “We're going to have to hustle from the first minute we step on the field to the last one before it gets too dark to play.”

“I really believe that if you practice with a sense of urgency, that will translate into your playing game. We're going to use that to our advantage.”

But while the focus has been on adaptation for the team, it would be remiss to not point out a pair of Falcons who are ready to take the next step.

Across the rosters, former junior varsity performers are set to take on bigger roles on the varsity team, but the centerpieces of the squad are names many will find familiar.

“We've got a young man, Jonathan De La Cruz. This year, he's made big leaps and bounds on the pitching mound. Him, and the catcher, Alex Perez, who was our catcher last year, has made — when I say huge leaps and bounds, I mean just unbelievable.”

De La Cruz led the Falcons with 39 punch-outs from the mound, while Perez led the team with 21 hits and 20 RBIs last season.

In what has proven to be a wacky start to the season, the Falcons’ exciting battery is just one duo to watch — and even though they won't have the lights above them, they're prepared to shine.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Forest Hill baseball finds silver lining after stolen equipment