combat analysis please

[Krom]

Greetings. I am in need of some expert/ experienced advise. I recently engaged in combat with an enemy empire. I expected to win, but instead lost badly. I would like to lay out the forces and perhaps someone could help me understand why I lost. Thanks in advance.

Enemy - 1 lt cruiser

6 contra terr engines I
1 shield IV
3 ppb I large I think
combat sensor II
ecm II
multiplex III
2 pd IV

My force - 2 cruisers

6 contra terr engines II
scatter armor II
2 pd II
combat sensor I
multiplex II
ecm I
5 apb V

1 carrier

60 fighters

6 small ion engines
rocket pod small combat sensor 1

Ships were to break formation and close with enemy. They did that. They fired many times on the enemy, but hit only 3 times. I lost 1 cruiser, the other badly damaged, and lost all of the fighters. My fighters never made it close enough to the enemy to even fire.

The only thing I can come up with is that his electronics are 1 better then mine, and that maybe I need to research better engines for the fighters. But this 1 lvl difference in electronics doesnt seem like it would be enough for me to basically never hit him. Anyway, some insight on to what happened here would be great. Thanks again.

Krom