I’ve admitted before that I have a rather unnatural love of country music. I think maybe I’m the only democrat-voting vegan kid in all of New York City who blasts Toby Keith at one in the morning — but hey what are you gonna do? Fan or not, I think pretty much everyone can agree that country star Carrie Underwood is one TALENTED chick! Pipes of steel and a heart of gold, Carrie is the real deal!

Underwood spent yesterday afternoon getting a little dirty for the 18th annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge in Nashville, Tennessee. Each year the game raises money for City of Hope, a leading research and treatment institution for cancer and other life-threatening diseases. About playing baseball, Carrie joked: “I’ve got a lot of practice with a bat one way or another the last couple years.”

Country stars Vince Gill, Craig Morgan, Sara Evans and Rodney Atkins also showed up to play for charity. To see some live video footage from the event visit WSMV.com. YEE-HAW!!

photo credit: celebrity-gossip.net