Celebrity Softball Game Finalizes 2016 CMA Fest Lineup

The 26th Annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game will take place for CMA Fest fans Tuesday, June 7 at 3 p.m. at Nashville’s First Tennessee Park.

The annual tradition will again find iHeart Country and Grand Ole Opry facing off with over 30 music and sports personalities, including a national anthem performance by Trisha Yearwood and special honor to label executive Bruce Hinton, presented by Big Machine Label Group’s Scott Borchetta. The Crook and Chase Countdown’s Lorianne Crook will emcee and offer play-by-plays for attendees.

Newly announced participants include Craig Wayne Boyd, Bucky Covington, Nick Fradiani, Cassadee Pope, A Thousand Horses, Mark Wills and Brett Young.

Previously announced participants and full team lists include:

iHeart Country (captain: Bobby Bones) — The Bobby Bones Show’s Amy and Lunchbox, Lauren Alaina, Zach Brown (A Thousand Horses), Danielle Bradbery, Preston Brust (LOCASH), Covington, Mickey Guyton, Michaels, David Nail, Jamie Lynn Spears, Wills and Young.

Team Opry (captain: Grand Ole Opry VP/GM Pete Fisher) — Boyd, Jessie James Decker, Graham DeLoach and Michael Hobby (A Thousand Horses), Charles Esten, Fradiani, Vince Gill, Jonathan Jackson, Chris Lane, Chris Lucas (LOCASH), Scotty McCreery, Tristan McIntosh, Cassadee Pope, RaeLynn and former Major League Baseball pitcher Barry Zito.

Hinton, this year’s Champion of Hope Award recipient, will be honored as the founder of the event and for his significant contributions to the game over its 25-year history. Borchetta credits Hinton as mentor and a big impact on his early days in the music industry.

Support from the Nashville community and its country music artists directly benefit City of Hope’s mission to find cures for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. A highlight of this year’s game will be when 8-year-old City of Hope patient Aaron Yniguez meets his lifesaving bone marrow donor Yolanda Nava, a Southwest Airlines employee from Arlington, Texas, for the very first time.

Tickets for the game are now available. A variety of unique merchandise and experiences, including meet-and-greets with the hottest artists, will be available for bid at cohauctions.com.