 Hirtuleius lost 20,000 men at Italica and, chastened, he fled north to join his commander Sertorius who was squaring off against Pompey.Metellus followed wanting to make the most of his victory by trapping Sertorius between Pompey and himself.Upon hearing of Hirtuleius's defeat and the loss of his army at Italica, Sertorius decided he had to defeat Pompey before Metellus would arrived from the west.